Racing: Hall notches up second win in four days

Veteran jockey Peter Hall celebrated his second country cup victory in four days when he stormed home on the Adam Durranttrained Hibernian to claim the 2012 XXXX Gold Mt Barker Cup (2000m) on Sunday.

The win capped an exceptional week of riding for the jockey of 20 years after he won the $110,000 Bunbury Cup aboard Lords Ransom last Thursday and rode a $75 odds winner at Ascot on Saturday.

Hall, who last won the Mt Barker Cup a decade ago on the Steve Wolfe-trained Juen’s Fantasy, said the euphoria of winning big country races never wore off.

“Every cup is as good as the last, they always give you a good buzz and to win two in a week is a great feeling,” he said.

“At the end of the day, both horses are trained by top trainers and they were both good combinations.”

Hibernian ($6.20) settled last of 12 starters in the $35,000 feature and stayed there until the 800m mark, only to follow a swift move made by race favourite Desert Oak ($3.20) that tightened the field.

Movie Mogul took up the running early with Lobbyist in toe and Seth’s Blessed looked a strong contender when he moved around the outside through the turn to push up toward the race leaders.

But Hall followed a late dash down the straight from the Peter Western-trained Megablitz and Steve Wolfe-trained Jobeth, coolly hanging on to burst in front with 150m to run and take Durrant’s five-year-old bay gelding to the finish post first.

Durrant said the result was made all the more exceptional given the fact Hibernian travelled to Mt Barker for a simple gallop before taking on larger country cups.

“He was just coming down for a gallop before Geraldton next week and before we bring him back for the Albany Cup a fortnight after, so any result was a bonus,” he said.

“He’ll just keep racing in the country cups since he can win better prize money there than in the city.”

Durrant said Hall would remain principal jockey for Hibernian if ratings and weights permitted.