Bairstow wins regional title

Bunbury galloper Niccatrice scored an upset win at the odds of $21 in the $100,000 Regional Championship (1200m) at Ascot on Saturday.

The Mark Bairstow-trained gelding, ridden by Glenn Smith, beat the $3.80 favourite River Dance by a long neck in the final of the prestigious series.

“I’ve won a Group 3 race in Melbourne but I get great satisfaction out of this,” an emotional Bairstow said.

“I said all week I’d win this race. He’s a good little horse.”

The victory was Niccatrice’s 10th from 50 starts, but the six-year-old had never won a Perth race.

Niccatrice is in good form, having won his past three races, including the heat in York last month.

South West jockey Lucy Warwick was not as lucky, finishing last in the saddle of Rebecca Wallrodt’s Our Buddy Boy.

Racing returns to Bunbury tomorrow when the Bunbury Turf Club hosts an eight-race meet, starting at 1.24pm.