By David Nagel
While all the attention is quite deservedly on Sydney racing at the moment there has still been plenty of action locally with Pakenham trainers continuing their winning run of form.
Nick Harnett got the ball rolling for local punters last week when his four-year-old mare Delightful Hustler scored a narrow victory at Sale over the 1411m trip.
The daughter of Delightful Choice-Here’s de Hussy got the bob on the line to score by a nose from the Enver Jusufovic-trained favourite Obi. Beau Mertens timed his run to perfection on Delightful Hustler, who has now had 16 starts for four wins and no placings.
Delightful Hustler paid $15 for the win and is now likely to stretch out in trip after four runs this preparation. Harnett has tested his mare up to 1968m at Yarra Valley in the past without success.
Bill Papazaharoudakis might have a good one on his hands after Marlion’s Dream made it two wins from two outings at Pakenham on Thursday night.
The Skilled-Dream Chaser three-year-old gelding raced on speed and always looked the winner, kicking clear to win by just over a length at the post.
Marlion’s Dream smashed his rivals by almost four lengths on debut and made the sometimes-difficult step up in grade look easy. It will be interesting to see if Papazaharoudakis keeps his prospect at the 1200-metre journey or now steps him up in trip.
And gun-trainer Phillip Stokes continues to dominate his local track with odds-on favourite Way To Go Paula scoring an effortless victory in race seven at Pakenham last week.
Given a gun-run by star jockey Jamie Kah, Way To Go Paula stalked her rivals before pulling clear to win by almost two lengths on the line. Stokes must have a high-opinion of his Nostradamus three-year-old filly, having run her in Listed company at Flemington and Sandown at her previous two starts.
Way To Go Paula was more than competitive in higher grade and after an easy kill will be one to keep an eye on over the coming weeks.
Night racing returns to Pakenham this Thursday night and will continue through to the end of April.
