Perazzi eyes Mungrup Sprint riches

Impressive type Perazzi is bound for the region’s richest sprint race next month after scoring a second win at the Mt Barker Turf Club for small-time trainer Bob Bell last Thursday afternoon.

After a brilliant first-up win at Mt Barker on November 5, the former Victorian galloper was impeded for clear running in the home straight at Albany second-up, finishing sixth to Our Buddy Boy.

However, Perazzi, who jumped a $6.70 chance on the tote, produced another sizzling finish, this time for jockey Shaun O’Donnell, as he overhauled pacemaker Bindaree Lady nearing the line to win the Peter And Helen Pavlovich Handicap (1200m) by a short neck. The seven-year-old has only had five starts in WA since being bought by Bell and will now head towards the $100,000 Mungrup Stud Sprint (1300m) on January 21 at the same track.

“I’m just delighted with that, so pleased to see him get up,” Bell said.

“He can go around on Boxing Day in Albany and then go three weeks into the Mungrup.

“We might as well have a crack now.

“Today was the lightest weight he’s ever carried and getting back really suits him.

“This morning I couldn’t catch him in the paddock, he was running around and I was worried it might have taken a bit out of him, but obviously he was ready to go.”

Perazzi has now won five of his 23 starts and had never carried less than 57kg previously. The win was part of a successful day for senior rider O’Donnell, who finished with a winning treble on the seven-race card.

O’Donnell rode two other winners for leading Albany trainer Steve Wolfe to kickstart his season in the Great Southern.

He was aboard consistent six-year-old Kostyazilch, who took care of $1.30 favourite Time To Hunt in the George Toovey Handicap (1850m), and then guided revived galloper Gauged to win the last race on the card.

Gauged has turned the corner this campaign, winning two of three starts, as he charged home from eigth on the home turn in the Kevin Forbes Handicap (1300m) to edge out Babble by a neck.