Frenetic took out Thursday’s feature event at Dubbo’s Dawson Park but it was champion Brad Hill Billy who scored the day’s most exciting win.
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Raymond Smith’s star was a red-hot $1.10 favourite heading into the Banjo Boy at Stud Stakes (516m) but only pinched victory in the final stride.
Jilly Keeping ($9.90) seemed destined to cause an almighty upset after leading most of the way but, as he always does, Brad Hill Billy came from deep in the field and with his last bound he stole the win.
“He’s probably a little below he’s best but he’s still going alright,” Smith said of Brad Hill Billy, who ran second in last year’s Golden Easter Egg.
“I didn’t think he got there. I didn’t think he was going to get there when he ran past us (at the bend for home) but there was still hope.”
Smith said the win was the perfect warm-up before a crack at the Richmond Derby, with the heats of that series on next week.
Brad Hill Billy made his usual slow start from box seven while Thor’s Devil ($36.30) began the best.
It wasn’t long before Jilly Keeping got to the lead but down the back straight Smith’s champion stayer made his way through the field and into second.
All the action happened in the home straight as it was a clear battle between two, while Thor’s Devil was a long six-and-a-half lengths back in third.
The win was the 35th of Brad Hill Billy’s career and took his career earnings past the $284,000 mark.
That win was followed by Frenetic’s victory in the day’s main event, the $3045 Ladbrokes Live Play Final (318m).
Mark Wicks’ bitch headed into the final after running second to Wishbone Cargo in last week’s heat.
Wishbone Cargo began the final as a $2.80 favourite but it was Clever Chloe ($6.30) who began the best.
However, Frenetic ($5.90) was close behind and soon got to the lead. From there she never looked back and went on to win by half-a-length from the fast-finishing Wishbone Cargo while Dana Makin ($7.40) was third.
“That’s her advantage, she’s good out of the box and has good speed,” Wicks said of Frenetic’s start.
“It was good, I was worried when we turned for home and he (Wishbone Cargo) was chasing her again. I thought ‘oh well, same as last week’ but she held on today.
“She’s a pretty handy little bitch. She can’t run any further but she’s not too bad.”
Brendan McHattan scored an early double on Thursday, with Rollie Bexon ($1.90) and Semikhah ($6.20) winning the first and fifth races respectively.