Natasha Faithfull secures winning double at Mt Barker, Durrant and Johnston-Porter dominate with treble

Albany jockey Natasha Faithfull celebrated a winning double, including one for her mother Samantha Faithfull, at Mt Barker Sprint feature day on Sunday. Beautiful Baroque ($5.50) nestled in the middle of the field for most of the Motel Le Grand Handicap (1850m) before rounding the final bend four-wide and snatching victory by half a length to Bella Eve ($12). The four-year-old mare has been placed at her last three starts since joining the Faithfull stable, with two coming at Mt Barker Turf Club. Natasha Faithfull claimed the opening race of the day after guiding the Bronwyn Mathieson-trained My Lovely Pet ($9.50) to a superb two-length triumph in its return from a spell. My Lovely Pet took the win ahead of Maybe Divine ($26) and Moving On ($8.50) in third in the Braithwaite Land and Livestock Maiden (1000m). Renowned Perth trainer Adam Durrant and jockey Clint Johnston-Porter combined for a hat-trick of victories from their three races at Mt Barker. Johnston-Porter was in flying form across his three races aboard Durrant’s three horses including a sensational ride on four-year-old gelding Supersession in the $100,000 TABtouch Mt Barker Sprint. It marks back-to-back victories in the Great Southern sprints for Supersession, the first coming in the Fitzpatrick Plate earlier this month. Johnston-Porter secured back-to-back victories earlier in the Mt Barker Handicap (1000m) with Russian Sniper and the South Haulage Maiden (1200m) aboard Clever Combat. He steered Russian Sniper ($2.90) to a strong victory, pipping Requisition ($4.40) by half a head on the line, before riding Clever Combat ($7) to an impressive one length win with Punters Pilot ($3.60) and Spearfish ($26) filling second and third respectively. Apprentice Ava Catarino claimed the most unlikely victory of the day after riding $16 chance Missalfie to victory in the Lions Handicap (1850m). Missalfie was caught three-wide for most of the race but surged to the front at the 600m mark, maintaining the lead and crossing the post ahead of the rapidly closing Sowar ($12). Beaux Banovic-Edwards rode Roy Rogers’ only winner for the day with Tropical Sun ($10) in the L.T. Toovey and Sons Handicap (1100m). Tropical Sun has now won two of its last three races, with both coming at Mt Barker. Chris Parnham took out the final race of the day over 1200m with Daniel and Ben Pearce’s Exceltrain which saluted comfortably at $2.60.