Flying South makes sizzling debut, veteran Brave Contender adds another win for Wagin trainer Angela Smith

Wagin trainer Angela Smith claimed a winning double in Albany on Friday with Flying South making a smart debut while veteran Brave Contender scored an eighth victory. Brave Contender continued his strong record at 1500m, winning race three in a terrific finish for jockey Kyra Yuill at Percy Spencer Racecourse. Yuill sent Brave Contender ($5.50) to the lead from barrier seven and they kicked clear at the top of the home straight in the Magic Millions Perth Sale 22nd and 23rd Feb Handicap (1500m). Manhattan Strip ($2.70) challenged Brave Contender in the final 150m but Yuill rode desperately in the dying stages to cling on by a short neck. It was an eighth win from 56 career starts for the seven-year-old, who has won three times over 1500m. Annihilator finished third while top weight True Attraction was slow to begin and struggled under the heavy 64.5kg impost to run seventh beaten nearly 10 lengths. Smith teamed up with apprentice jockey Zephen Johnston-Porter to win the Advanced Feeds Maiden (1230m) with Flying South. Flying South had just one 600m barrier trial before making his race debut and jumped a $41 chance from gate eight. The Galah three-year-old settled near last but stormed home to score by half a length over the Steve Wolfe-trained Why Me, who was heavily supported into a $1.60 favourite. Albany trainer Rebecca Bayliss notched her eighth win of the Great Southern season as new stable acquisition Frantic War made light work of his rivals. Transferred to Bayliss from the Michael Lane stable, Frantic War ($5) eventually settled behind early leader Work In Progress and shot to the front at nearly the 200m. Jockey Madi Derrick urged him to the line to win by more than a length over Pennies Galore ($3.30) in the 1000m event. Long Knife Brother saluted at $21 in the Good Luck WA Breeders At Magic Millions Handicap (1230m) to close out the meeting. Ridden by apprentice Cassey Martinan, Long Knife Brother produced a ripping finish down the outside to grab Millivoy in the shadows of the post and win by a short head. Long Knife Brother, now in the stables of Paul Hunter, was unplaced at his first two starts this campaign, but has won four times over the distance. Derrick was reprimanded for allowing her mount Village Girl to shift inwards to gain a marginal run when insufficiently clear in race seven. Apprentice Kristo Sardelic was also reprimanded in race seven for permitting his mount Vrum to shift outwards when tested with the whip and not clear to do so. The Roy Rogers-trained Classic Jack also returned lame in the near-fore after the running of race seven. Meanwhile Kojonup’s picnic meeting that was scheduled for Saturday was abandoned due to extreme heat. With a forecast of 40C, Racing WA made the decision with the race club to call the meeting off and it won’t be rescheduled.