Progressive Per Incanto pair Oak Hill (pictured as a yearling) and Jimmysstar further underlined their credentials for bigger targets when both were successful in Melbourne metropolitan races over the weekend.
A $180K purchase by Paul Moroney from LA’s 2022 Karaka Book 1 draft, the Wes Van De Scheer bred Oakhill (Per Incanto-Isstoora by High Chaparral), a half-brother to Group 2 winning three-year-old Desert Lightning, quickened in the manner of a serious horse when landing a maiden three-year-old event over 1200m at Moonee Valley on Friday evening. The Ballymore Stable trained gelding ran third at his only other start, at Kilmore on 3 November.
Impressive when making a winning Australian debut at Bendigo three weeks ago, the LA and Chrissie and Pete Algie bred Jimmysstar (Per Incanto-Anniesstar by Zed) was arguably even better with an authoritative win in an AUS$190k event over 1500m at Cranbourne on Saturday. Formerly trained by Guy Lowry, for whom he ran second on debut followed by two wins, the Maher/Eustace trained four-year-old has the impressive record of four wins and a second placing from five starts for stake earnings of AUS$168K.
Domestically Per Incanto’s evergreen gelding Semper Magico continued his winning ways landing the John Turkington Forestry/Waipine Logging Bulls Country Cup (2040m) at Wanganui on Saturday.
It was the fifth win in the last eight starts for Semper Magico who trainer Mark Oulaghan races with wife Penny and his mother Pam.
He has now won nine times from 42 starts, including 15 minor placings, and brought his stake earnings to $243k.
For good measure the LA and Buzz and Suzie Williams bred I Give (Per Incanto – Grace and Eva by Stravinsky) made it five consecutive wins when successful in a Class 3 1200m at Shat Tin on Sunday