Leading Albany trainer Steve Wolfe lands double at opening race meet

Promising filly Ex Sport Girl broke her maiden status in dominant fashion for leading Great Southern trainer Steve Wolfe last week. Wolfe was buoyed by the performance of the three-year-old filly, part of a winning double on the seven-race card in Albany to kick off the new Great Southern season. Ex Sport Girl was in the initial nominations for the listed $500,000 TABtouch Placid Ark Stakes (1200m) as Ascot this Saturday but was not among the final field released on Monday. That race is part of the new Ascot summer carnival branded The Pinnacles, and Ex Sport Girl is also entered in the $500,000 Group 2 WA Guineas (1600m) on November 19. After being placed twice at Northam and once at Ascot in her three previous starts this campaign, Ex Sport Girl was smashed into a $1.90 favourite in the Paul Parsons Maiden (1240m) on Friday. Ridden by apprentice Brandon Louis, the filly jumped from barrier nine and settled sixth before sizzling home down the outside to pounce on her rivals and win by a length on the line. St John grabbed second place, while early leader Pilbara Song faded late to finish third. Wolfe and Louis teamed up to win the Michelle Parsons Maiden (1000m) with three-year-old Exosphere gelding Little Silver ($4). Little Silver ran fourth on debut at Northam in September but was disappointing when finishing 10th at his next start. The youngster was second to Hide The Oreos in a recent Albany barrier trial and settled midfield in running at his third career start before Louis asked him for an effort in the final 600m. He was too strong for Hide The Oreos in the closing stages to win by 0.4 lengths on the line. Meanwhile, Little Punga caused an upset in the Eleanor Parsons Handicap (1240m), saluting at $34 for Albany trainer Mark Westthorp. Little Punga won two races in the region last season and, now a 10-year-old, he was sent forward by apprentice jockey Cassey Martinan in his return to racing. They sat just off early leader Count The Sessions and then powered to the line in the concluding stages to hold out Kohli, a new stable acquisition for Rebecca Wallrodt, by half a length. The Adam Durrant-trained Harmika started a $2.50 favourite in the race but finished last, beaten by more than nine lengths. Albany trainer Roy Rogers also had a winner at the meeting, with Sneaky Fox successful over 1100m for jockey Chris Nicoll. Cosmopolitan Girl kicked strongly at the top of the home straight but Sneaky Fox chased her down to score a fourth win of his career.