Two impressive winners for William Lewthwaite stable at Mt Barker’s biggest meet of the season

Albany jockey Natasha Faithfull scored a winning double at Mt Barker’s biggest meeting of the year on Sunday.

Faithfull teamed up with the William Lewthwaite stable to ride two winners on the eight-race program, as both Starchienne and Cartanera were successful.

After four successive minor placings to start her career, Starchienne broke through at her fifth start when coming from fourth on the turn to win the LT Toovey And Sons Maiden (1300m).

Starchienne was well supported into $1.95 on the tote and settled just off the speed, but Faithfull timed her run to perfection and they kicked away in the home straight, going on to record a slashing three-length win over Playing Rio.

Earlier at the meeting, promising galloper Cartanera made it back-to-back wins after storming home to pip Artie’s Comet by a short head in a close finish to the Southern Haulage Handicap (1850m).

The four-year-old mare was midfield in running for Faithfull and then produced a strong sprint home to back up her victory at Albany on January 8.

Father-daughter combination Robert and Kate Witten teamed up to win race five over 1300m as Excelestial did enough to deny Zac Luvs To Fly ($1.90 favourite) in the concluding stages.

Excelestial resumed from a spell when finishing last over 1000m at Pinjarra on December 26 but then scored an impressive victory at Narrogin on January 6 and then saluted at Mt Barker.

Albany trainer Rebecca Wallrodt scored a second win with Nights Mystery in the Great Southern this season.

A stable addition late last year, Nights Mystery won at Mt Barker for the Wallrodt stable on November 25.

The four-year-old gelding had been unplaced in three runs since that but bounced back to form with a dominant 51/2 length win in the Forbes Family Handicap (1000m).

Jockey Holly Watson sent Nights Mystery to the front from barrier four and they sped along, smashing their rivals in the end with Sir Snugalot a distant second.

Meanwhile, Kendal’s Storm and Strenia were declared a dead heat after a thrilling end to the Motel Le Grande Maiden (1100m).

Strenia, trained by Paul Hunter, hit the front in the final 200m but Kendal’s Storm from the yard of Kieran Regan flew home down the outside to lunge at the leader.

The judge couldn’t split the pair and declared them dead heat winners.

Leading Albany trainer Roy Rogers kept his winning form rolling after taking out the last race with rising galloper Rocapozzene.