Albany trainer Rebecca Wallrodt says Willow River is capable of making metro grade

Progressive sprinter Willow River has notched her fourth victory of this campaign, delivering more success for rising Albany trainer Rebecca Wallrodt on Monday’s seven-race card.

After back-to-back wins at Percy Spencer Racecourse, Wallrodt is bullish on the prospects of her four-year-old.

Willow River is rising through the grades, with four wins, a second and a third from eight runs this campaign.

Wallrodt said she had always known she had a serious horse.

“We have always known she had a lot of ability and how talented she is,” she said.

“She is a very hard horse, but she hasn’t fully settled yet and she still gets wound up,” she said.

“It’s all starting to come together, but she settled a lot better on Monday.

“She won’t go to town this preparation, but definitely next season she will.

“I think she can win a Saturday race in town and is an absolute star in the making.

“She is almost ready for a spell, we will let her tell us over the next couple of days what’s next.”

The mare, by Maschino, sat three deep and was the widest runner around the turn, but proved too strong for her rivals to take the Graham Manley Auto Repairs Handicap (1100m), winning by more than a length for jockey Alan Kennedy.

Willow River was bred by Haydn Edwards in Dumbleyung.

“Haydn Edwards bred her and he got some of his mates into the ownership,” Wallrodt said.

“The horse wasn’t going too well for Jim Taylor and I knew a few of the owners, so they gave me a chance to train her.”

Kendel’s Mee Dad rounded out a solid weekend on Monday for Albany trainer Roy Rogers after Luke’s Gold saluted at Ascot on Saturday.

The new stable acquisition, who finished just under four lengths off Group 1 winner Superstorm in November last year, produced a sharp turn of foot in the home straight to take out the Rainbow Coast Insurance Brokers Handicap (1240m) over Deangles.

The Rogers stable had success at Ascot when Chris Nicoll delivered a peach of a ride on the rejuvenated Luke’s Gold, scoring victory over 1400m.

Evergreen 10-year-old Tranquilla Sunrise held on for third in the last race on Saturday for Rogers.