Seven on the trot for Jigsaw, and The Quokka stays in Perth for another year. Cindy Alderson's sprinter did it from barrier 13, he jumped like he was drawn one, sat on the speed, and put the race away from the 550m. The eastern raiders who flew west to take the $5 million home got a blunt reminder that the locals are still the ones to beat.
Jigsaw makes it seven
Forget the barrier. Jigsaw jumped brilliantly from 13, and Logan Bates had him up on the speed inside the first 200 metres. Caballus rolled forward with Tommy Berry firing through, but Jigsaw was always going to be within striking range when it mattered.
Bates asked the question at the 550m. Jigsaw took over pretty easy and led by two before they'd hit the furlong pole. From there it was a holding job, and Jigsaw held. On a Soft 6, from a wide gate, in a $5 million race against the best the east had to send over. Seven on the bounce and Cindy Alderson owns the biggest sprint on the WA calendar.
Whatever Jigsaw is now, "promising Perth sprinter" doesn't cover it.
Rey Magnerio flew home, Talkanco snuck a third
Rey Magnerio ran second at $4.60, but not the way the form said he would. William Pike had him back in midfield through the run, and when the angle opened he came down the outside at 100 miles an hour. "Rey Magnerio flying" was the call. He was the fastest thing on the track through the last 200, just half a length too short. For Robbie Griffiths that's a belting run.
Talkanco ran the race of his life for third at $20. Lucy Fiore had him on the inside, he ran on cleanly when the leaders wobbled, and he was right there at the line. A very tidy trifecta for anyone who kept Jigsaw on top.
The raiders couldn't cut it
This is where the Quokka form book rewrites itself. Caballus was $4.40 and the one most of the east had on top. He ran sixth. Berry took him forward from barrier 9 and had him second at the 550m, the race was there to be won. The Newmarket form just never turned up for the last 200. He battled, then he emptied, and a long way from home he was already a beaten horse.
Spywire sat third at the 550 and also failed to sustain, fourth at the line at $18, beaten by three of the locals. Ciaron Maher's horse has a finish on him but he needed a stronger tempo in front and didn't get it.
Jedibeel was the first beaten. The caller had him under pressure before the home turn and he trailed the field home, dead last at $16. Brad Widdup will be chasing reasons before he writes this one up.
Smooth Chino missed the jump and was never in it, hitting the line seventh at $8.
