Roy Rogers’ Capricious Ruler claims $40,000 Ladies Bracelet feature at Albany Racing Club’s Ladies Day races

Albany trainer Roy Rogers took home the $40,000 Wellington & Reeves Ladies Bracelet (1500m) at the Albany Racing Club’s Ladies’ Day card on Sunday, with Capricious Ruler coming out on top in a nail-biting finish. The four-year-old jumped a $15 chance in the field of 14 but it was the tightest finish of the day as the Rogers’ mare passed the post only a short half-head in front of the field. The big race produced an exciting photo finish with multiple runners lining up across the track in the bid for victory but Capricious Ruler nosed out her rivals after shooting home on the inside rail. Jockey Amy Jo Hayes went forward from barrier 10 at the start and established a good position behind the early leaders. By the 600m mark she was tight on the rail behind L’il Capri and kept that position until the field spread out in the straight and she found a gap to make the final sprint to the post. The Helen Harding-trained Cocoon Bay ($15) charged home to grab second only while Uni Queen ($51) was a close third, a nose away with trainer-jockey Casey Hunter aboard. Cruise To Rio, who was the $3.60 favourite after the scratching of Adam Durrant’s Queen Aria, was in the blanket finish to run fourth while Becalotti ($9) was also in the photo. A fitting result for International Women’s Day, six of the day’s seven winners were ridden by female jockeys. Tash Faithfull rode the Paul Roberts-trained Bondi Express to the win in the Wellington & Reeves Property Management Maiden (1600m), making good as the favourite with a $3 chance after mechanical issues with the barriers delayed the race start. The second race on the card, the Wellington & Reeves Rural Sales Maiden (1100m), was also delayed as Trailer Truck had issues in the starting gates and was a late scratching after a veterinary examination. Tawajj ($8.50) broke her maiden status with Elisha Whittington aboard, starting well and maintaining a good position to bring home the first win of the day for trainer Brett Pope. He claimed his second victory in the final race, the Vale Mick Sheehy Handicap (1100m) as Cassenite saluted for jockey Kyra Yuill. Luke Campbell was the only male hoop to have a win with the Steve Wolfe-trained Lordgivemestrength ($6) in race three, the Wellington & Reeves Commercial Sales Handicap (1900m). The four-year-old mare settled in second and shot clear on straightening, sprinting past early leader Maybe Divine ($51) to win by a long head over Win To Retire ($11). Madi Derrick rode the Dave Hopperton-trained Play Dice to the win in the Wellington & Reeves Residential Sales Handicap (1230m), sitting on speed to down race favourite Flying South ($2.70) by a length. Albany Racing Club president and trainer Alan Smith had a win with Makin Prophets in race five, the TABtouch Handicap (1600m), hoop Lisa Staples guiding the six-year-old gelding up through the field after a slow start to pass the post more than a length ahead of Wayne The Pain ($7.50).