Carolina Reaper scores impressive win in Mt Barker heat of provincial championship series

Young apprentice Cassey Martinan scored the third winner of her career when she claimed the feature race at Mt Barker Turf Club aboard Carolina Reaper on Friday.

Martinan had her first official ride as a jockey in February and scored her first winner on Irritable Rodnee last Wednesday.

On Friday, Martinan had only two rides in the seven races at Mt Barker but she emerged victorious in the $27,000 Skyracing.TV Provincial Championship Series Heat (1300m).

Carolina Reaper, trained locally by former jockey Leanne Howlett, jumped an $18 chance on the tote in the field of 13 and was sent straight to the front by Martinan.

The six-year-old gelding set a strong tempo out in front and had opened up a handy margin at the top of the home straight before Martinan urged him to the line, winning by two and a half lengths.

The Peter Western-trained Starauthoress ran second and $2.60 favourite Garage Days finished strongly to grab third place.

Carolina Reaper ran a strong second at Mt Barker two starts prior and his triumph last week ended a 469-day winning drought.

Howlett, who also owns Carolina Reaper, has now chalked up two winners as a trainer this season from her small team.

Earlier in the day, Bonamico, a son of Winehorse, ran second in a 1300m maiden.

Fly Better won the opening event by more than a length for Albany trainer Sarah Searle and apprentice jockeyhoop Victoria Corver.

Do Da Ditty was an impressive maiden winner at the meeting for trainer Roy Rogers.

The three-year-old filly was having only her second race start but showed a terrific turn of foot in the home straight to win by three lengths with apprentice Keshaw Dhurun in the saddle.

Metro co-trainers Daniel and Ben Pearce continued their strong Great Southern season as Love Drunk Baby won the Yondalee Farms Handicap (1300m). Love Drunk Baby justified his $1.70 price to win his second race in eight career starts.

Meanwhile, Albany galloper Hear Me Sing ran fourth in the listed $125,000 Melvista Stakes (2200m) at Ascot on Saturday.

The Steve Wolfe-trained Hear Me Sing sat just off the speed for jockey Andrew Castle and battled away strong in the run home to finish three lengths off winner Alaskan God. Wolfe’s other runner Let’sdeal ran 13th in the three-year-old feature race.