Outsider speeds to second for Faithfull

Albany galloper Speed Bandit has produced a terrific second placing in the $100,000 TABtouch Country Championship Final (1200m) behind well-supported winner Mr Genoa at Ascot on Saturday.

Starting a $41 chance on the tote, Speed Bandit settled midfield before sprinting home down on the inside to collect a $20,000 runners-up check for connections after going down by 1.1 lengths at the finish.

Trained locally by Samantha Faithfull, Speed Bandit clocked 35.44 seconds for the final 600m and was held up on straightening until jockey Natasha Faithfull took him inwards nearing the 150m.

It was another great result for the Faithfull stable, having already recorded two provincial winners this season.

Speed Bandit finished fifth in the Albany heat of the championships to gain a start in the final on day two of the TABtouch Masters Carnival.

The winner of the Albany heat, Wild Fusion was gallant to cross the line fourth under the urgings of champion rider Damien Oliver.

The Liam O’Loughlin-trained Wild Fusion ($11 chance) carried 59kg and came from eighth on the turn to grab fourth.

Read The Riot Act, who lumped 60kg, ran home strongly to finish sixth for trainer Roy Rogers and was followed home by fellow Albany horses Magic Opus (seventh) and Long Knife Brother (eighth). Ionyx (11th) rounded out the Albany gallopers in the final.

Albany trainer Steve Wolfe had no luck with War Class and One Point Lady in the $100,000 TABtouch Westspeed Platinum Series Final (1400m), who finished 11th and 14th respectively.