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Hall gets honours with Delicacy

Peter Hall again trumped WA’s premier rider William Pike on under-rated filly Delicacy to land an exciting win in today’s Ascot 1000 Guineas (1800m).

Hall, affectionately known as WA’s Cups’ King, picked up the ride on Delicacy from trainer Grant Williams, when Pike chose stable-mate Neverland, who was searching to stretch her unbeaten streak to four wins, after landing her maiden feature in the Challenge Stakes (1400m) a fortnight ago.

Hall rode Delicacy to win the Group 3 WA Champion Fillies Stakes (1600m) last November, when Pike chose Silverstream, who was unplaced.

Hall crossed the daughter of Al Maher from her gate 10 to have her sitting mid-field at the 800m, pacing nicely slotted onto the fence edging forward with each stride, before pushing up between runners and dash away in the straight to a comfortable 3 ½ lengths in the Listed $100,000 race.

Neverland dropped out to the back of the field, but finished powerfully for Pike to knock Keysbrook (1 3/4lens) out of second place.

Punters supported Delicacy to end Neverland’s reign backing the filly from $3.20 into $2.70, while her stable-mate remained firm at $2.50 with oncourse bookmakers.

Owner-breeders Bob and Sandra Peters finished second with Real Charm (2014) and Antique Belle (2013) at the previous two runnings of the Guineas.

“We asked Peter to go forward but if you get the chance to slot in do that,” Bob Peters said. “Everybody did the right thing by us.

“Neverland ran very well.

“I was a little bit concerned about her before the race, because she didn’t seem to be herself in the stalls.”

Punters had their fingers burnt on French Champagne, backed from $13 into $9, when the three-year-old botched the start, standing up her rivals seven lengths at the start.

The Peters family won the WATC Derby lead-up for the second year in a row when Battle Hero rose from provincial wins to run home a smart winner in the Lex Piper Stakes (1600m).

Battle Hero, who eased from $3.40 to $3.70, had won at his previous two Pinjarra starts in good style.
Pike has stuck with the son of Stratum, riding the gelding at all of his four starts.

Brad Parnham rode Respondent to win last year’s edition of the $100,000 feature.

Pike then rode Respondent to win the WATC Derby (2400m).

The $3.30 favourite Palace Intruder was hanging out and was forced to take up an unfamiliar role as the pacemaker, before finishing fifth.

Battle Hero’s stable-mate Special Delivery ($9.50 to $13) ran home strongly from the back to snatch fourth place – two lengths behind the winner.

While Say Geronimo ($3.80) came home with a flourish to land the minor end of the quinella with Tonto ($7.50) running well to finish third.

Trainer Dan Morton claimed his second Supremacy Stakes when London Line ($2.90 to $3.40) edged out Chantski ($3.10 to $3.20) in a head-bobbing fight to the line in the 1100m Listed feature.

Morton’s previous Supremacy win was with champion sprinter Scenic Blast in 2007.

"Dad earmarked this horse to have a trial this month, but with the trials transferred to Lark Hill we decided well we can walk across the road here and win a race," Morton said. "He showed a lot more speed out of the barriers today than I thought he would.

"They are all young and still learning the ropes."