Josh Krispyn raised the bar for Asphalt at Ascot on Saturday and the promising sprinter-miler repaid that faith in a pulsating finish to the MCA Polytrack Hcp (1400m).
Asphalt (5g Maschino – Fire Side by Hurricane Sky) defeated G1 Railway Stakes-bound galloper September Born (Playing God) by a nose leaving Krispyn in two minds ahead of a summer carnival campaign.
Asphalt (near side) defeats September Born at Ascot on Saturday Photo: Western Racepix
“I wanted to take some weight off his back and see if he was competitive at this level,” the Bunbury trainer said after the BenchMark 72 plus rating race. His stable star had completed a provincial hat-trick in July and continued that winning run first-up at Ascot on October 11.
“I will wait until he recovers before choosing whether we back-up off a seven-day break in the (G3) Asian Beau Stakes (1400m) next Saturday or wait three weeks for the (G3) Bob Peters Stakes (1500m) on November 16.”
It’s a decision that any trainer would savour and Krispyn was ecstatic back in the enclosure. “He’s a beautiful horse and a pleasure to have in the stable. He’s a ripper and it’s huge to win in front of such a big crowd today.”
Craig Parnham was aboard Asphalt for the first time and beat his brother Brad on September Morn by an eye-lash. “He’s a lovely animal and that was a top win although I wasn’t sure whether we had held out Brad. Full credit to my horse. He raced without cover from the half-mile and toughed it out.”
Asphalt was bred by Siobhan and Mick Campbell at Bellbridge Park using Alwyn Park sire Maschino over Fire Side who had a perfect four-from-four strike-rate at stud. She was a Belmont winner for Ross Price and her older half-brother Wool Zone (Flying Spur) won a LR T J Smith Trophy (1800m) and LR WA St Leger (2400m).
Maschino has WA Horse of the Year Jokers Grin due to resume ahead of a summer campaign aimed at the G1 Winterbottom Stakes (1200m) on November 29. The Kia Quokka winner has opened a $5 second-elect behind Sydney raider Overpass ($4) who is gunning for a hat-trick of victories in Perth’s premier sprint.
