Tango Ora vies for Fitzpatrick Plate

Another slashing victory in the Great Southern from rising sprinter Tango Ora last Wednesday not only secured the XXXX Gold Boxing Day Trophy but also a berth in this week’s Fitzpatrick Plate.

Tango Ora was part of a brilliant Boxing Day for jockey Daniel Staeck and trainer Roy Rogers as they dominated the eight-race program.

Staeck positioned Tango Ora second in running behind leader Nanga Parbat before pouncing as the field turned for home, producing another terrific sprint finish to down Arrum Boy by 1 ½ lengths in the $15,500 feature race over 1100m.

It was a third win in the Great Southern this season for the talented Oratorio gelding and fifth in 14 career starts, prompting Rogers to enter him in the lucrative Fitzpatrick Plate this Sunday.

Staeck showed his class on a day when riders were spread across three WA meetings, as he rode four consecutive winners to shoot to the top of the Great Southern Jockeys’ Premiership standings.

He firstly guided Prix D’Excellence to a fighting victory in the USG Boral Handicap (1500m), edging out War Ksar by a neck, and then going on to ride three winners in a row for the Rogers camp.

Exciting prospect Notta Mocha made it two wins in three starts this campaign by saluting narrowly over 1500m and raging favourite Ionyx also won by a long head, leading all the way to claim the Furphy Handicap (1600m).

Staeck rose to seven victories after his day out while Notta Mocha, Ionyx and Tango Ora gave Rogers a treble as he moved to eight wins in total for the local season.

Earlier, Boomnbust recorded his second win at Percy Spencer Racecourse in the opening event for hoop Natasha Faithfull, who also tasted success aboard Cold As Cold in the final race on the card.

Danehill Storm produced an eye-catching maiden win first-up for trainer Angela Smith and Puskas finally broke through for a first win at start 24 for the Jonathon Jachmann stable.