Delane’s Defiantly stamps her class

The Great Southern racing season has wrapped up after Sunday’s final meeting at Percy Spencer Racecourse as Albany trainer Des Attwell, along with jockeys Lucy Warwick and Andrew Castle, scored winning doubles.

Both the trainers’ and jockeys’ premierships were already stitched up, by Steve Wolfe and Daniel Staeck, with commanding leads heading into the last meeting but it didn’t prevent some terrific racing to close the season.

Warwick had a double in the first three races after guiding Defiantly and Jimmy Rapid to victory.

The red-hot Defiantly produced her most devastating win, demolishing the small field in the Rural Focus Handicap (1600m) by four lengths for Albany trainer Garry Delane.

Delane has done a fantastic job with the rising five-year-old, who has won three of her past four starts.

Defiantly settled fifth in the field of six for Warwick but breezed past her rivals when extended in the home straight, coasting to the big win.

Warwick then won race three by an even bigger margin as the Dion Luciani-trained Jimmy Rapid spanked his rivals by 5.1 lengths.

Jimmy Rapid was sent to the lead mid-race by Warwick in a smart move before skipping clear in the home straight to win by panels.

Talented sprinter Candlelight Star was the first leg of Attwell’s double on the eight-race card after saluting at big odds in the Drive Home With Cliff Handicap (1230m).

Candlelight Star finished second in this year’s Mungrup Stud Sprint and has lumped big weights in open class sprints locally ever since. The eight-year-old lumped 61kg with Peta Edwards in the saddle as they came from eighth on the turn to win by a long head over De Andes in a busy finish.

Long Knife Brother, who had been runner-up at his past two starts, then won race seven for Attwell and hoop Lisa Staples.

Andrew Castle booted home short-priced favourite He’s A Gunslinger and then won the final race of the season, which was the closest finish of the day.

Castle threaded his way through traffic on Read The Riot Act to triumph by a short head over Magic Opus while Deangles was a half- head away in third.

Wolfe’s One Point Lady took his final winning tally to 34 for the Great Southern season as he edged out Roy Rogers on 26.5 following the win of Read The Riot Act.