Wolfe, Rogers stay on peak form

Albany trainers Steve Wolfe and Roy Rogers have continued their sparkling form in the 2018-19 season as both chalked up more winners in Albany and abroad over the last week.

Wolfe was on fire at Friday’s meeting in Albany, switched from Mt Barker after track issues made the Frost Park venue unfit to race on, as he produced a winning treble.

Emerging four-year-old Cold As Cold appears likely to tackle metropolitan company after an eye-catching ¾-length win in the Motel Le Grande Handicap (1230m).

Ridden by Natasha Faithfull, the son of Frost Giant settled near last from a wide gate before sprinting over the top of the field in the final 150m to notch back-to-back Albany wins.

Faithfull and Wolfe then made it a double when consistent galloper Gauged took his career stake earnings beyond $100,000 with a win over 1900m.

Albany track specialist Captivated Point rounded out Wolfe’s day with a slashing 1½-length win in the final race on the card, lumping 61kg to win a seventh race at the course from 11 starts.

Wolfe moved clear in the Great Southern trainers’ premiership, his treble taking him to 16 wins for the local season, and main rival Rogers notched his 11th in the region when Turpin’s Daughter broke through at her 13th start in the Graham Manley’s Auto Maiden (1230m).

It was a big day for female riders, with Lisa Staples aboard Turpin’s Daughter, while Faithfull recorded a double.

Simone Altieri produced a terrific frontrunning ride on the well-travelled Cool Witness, who prevailed over 1900m, and rising apprentice Jade McNaught also landed in the winners’ circle after a brilliant ride on Burning Magic, who shot home along the rail from fifth to win race 5 by a neck over Deangles.

Staples received a 12-day careless riding suspension aboard Its Not Trading in the last, Altieri was fined $200 for a whip breach and race 6 favourite War Ksar was taken out of the race nearing the home corner after bleeding from both nostrils for the first time.

On Saturday at Pinjarra’s metropolitan meeting, the Rogers-trained Captain Stirling showed his promise by winning a third straight race and then on Sunday in Bunbury, Rogers took his season-winning tally to 16 after Swanky Lass won a 1008m maiden.