Winning Horse: He’s a Balter (Aus)

5yoG Spirit Of Boom (Aus) - Moxie Doll (Aus)(Mossman (Aus))

24 starts - 6 wins 5 seconds 2 thirds 5 fourths $200050

Other Wins

1st Morphettville Leader Computers (Bm82) 1050m (2021)

1st Murray Bdge Kimbolton Wines (Bm64) 1000m (2021)

1st Murray Bdge Elders Livestock & Wool (Bm60) 1200m (2021)

1st Bairnsdale Donalda Motors Gippsland (58) 1200m (2020)

1st Ballarat Whitford Liquid Waste Mdn 1200m (2020)

Other Placings

3rd Morphettville Parks Cameron Davidson Painters-Bm68 1400m (2021)

3rd Morphettville Furphy (Bm68) 1200m (2021)

2nd Murray Bdge The Ian Marwood Race (Bm60) 1200m (2021)

2nd Cranbourne Obrien Real Estate (Bm64) 1300m (2021)

2nd Cranbourne De Bortoli Wines (Bm64) 1200m (2020)

2nd Pakenham Iron Jack Aust. Lagers Mdn 1400m (2020)

2nd Ararat Fishers Iga Liquor Ararat Mdn 1300m (2020)

Race Result:

1st: He’s A Balter (Linda Meech/Will Clarken) - $17

2nd: Destination (Damien Oliver/James Cummings) - $6.50
3rd: Dirty Thoughts (Daniel Moor/Mathew Ellerton & Simon Zahra) - $5EF

Winning Time: 1:05.24 Last 600m: N/A

Margins: Half-Head x Long-Neck

Winning Trainer: Will Clarken (in Adelaide)

“He’s been a terrific old horse. I tell the owners every time I do an update that I love training him. He’s fair and honest and I’ve really worked him out now.

“I like to keep him fresh, took the blinkers off him. I actually had him a bit too fresh, he was overdoing it a touch in the early stages. He nearly got away from me the other day when he went for a pick of grass.

“He’s really filling well, he’s enjoying the time in the stable and he deserved to go and win a race in Melbourne.”

What’s next: “I want to get him off the minimum in a fast run 1000 metres in a listed race over here. I was toying with running him in the 1000-metre stakes race last week at Moonee Valley but I wanted to just test the waters once.

“He’s not going to have many more (runs). Just getting his toe in slightly definitely helps the horse. He’s only just won a 78 over there, I know it’s a long way up but he’s carried 58.5 (kilos) and he’s done it the tough way.”

Winning Jockey: Linda Meech

On returning to the city winners’ list: “Everything was peachy until the last 200 (metre mark). I thought ‘please don’t stop’. It’s great to be back here. The track is in great order. Just a big shout out to Lachie Weekley and Will Clarken for having the faith to put me on today.”

How quickly did the ride become available: “Yesterday morning Lachie rang me to ask if I wanted to ride them. I asked to give me a few minutes to think about it because I didn’t want to come and embarrass myself.

“I thought if I’m fit enough to ride at Warracknabeal, they’ve both got green grass and a white rail, so I might as well go down.”

What does it mean to be on top in town: “It’s a bit of a dream actually. I’ve had a whirlwind last 18 months with a little baby coming along and we got engaged last week, so things couldn’t be better.”