First-starter Just Saint James had won a Lark Hill trial untouched last month after sitting three-wide without cover but he was easy to back at $7 in the Peel Bus Hire Maiden (1000m) at Pinjarra on Thursday.
Drawing an inside gate down the straight wasn’t ideal and Michael Poy elected to settle back in the pack before making a move approaching the course proper. The trip home wasn’t ideal either as Olivia’smemumma (Universal Ruler) and then Riseanfall (Bondi) took turns carrying him towards the flat side of the course.
Once those pesky fillies were out of range, Just Saint James set out after Pin Deep (Deep Field) who looked the winner after kicking clear along the grandstand rail. With Poy able to use the whip in his right hand, Just Saint James finished full of running to defeat the favourite by three-quarters of a length.
“Jimmy still has a lot to learn,” trainer Rob Gulberti noted. “But when he needed to pin them back, he was on the job!”
Just Saint James was purchased by Gulberti for $20,000 out of the Gold Front Thoroughbreds consignment at the 2022 Perth Magic Millions. He has an unraced 2yo half-brother named He’s Obsessional (Sessions) and a yearling half-sister by Snippetson.
Their dam Angelisa was bred and raced by Heytesbury Stud to win at York for Dion Luciani. Second-dam Celestina (Metal Storm) commenced her career with Lou Luciani before transferring to Brian Mayfield-Smith to win in Heytesbury’s colours at Flemington and Sandown.
Rocking Society completed a running-double for Gold Front at Pinjarra in the Aircor Services Maiden (2000m). He’s a 3yo son of Gold Front sire Awesome Rock and was bred and sold by Alan and Sue Olive for $110,000 to trainer Jason Miller at the 2022 Perth Magic Millions.
Awesome Rock 3yo filly Own The Queen annexed another black-type win for her sire in the LR Natasha Stakes (2200m) at Ascot on Saturday. It followed her LR Ascot 1000 Guineas (1800m) victory on March 2.
The winners continued for Awesome Rock in Singapore on Sunday with A Better Tomorrow scoring by two lengths in a Kranji maiden despite racing three-wide over 1600m. A Better Tomorrow was bred by Alwyn Park from consistent producer Amazingtale (Tale Of The Cat).
