Late bloomer breaks maiden status

Late bloomer Eliza’s Dream broke his maiden status yesterday, when the gelding won the $15,000 Caroma Maiden (1108m) at the Bunbury Turf Club.

The six-year-old has started just three times, but this did not stop jockey Glenn Smith riding him like a seasoned thoroughbred.

The pair took the outside of the pack on the straight and drove to the line to claim victory by a length from Tawny Pete and jockey Kate Witten.

Smith said trainer Tim Crosby had told him the gelding was well prepared.

“He didn’t have much left at the end,” Smith said.

“We ran pretty well early and just settled back and finished off really good.

“They went at a pretty solid pace, so we were comfortable where we were.”

Smith said he expected Eliza’s Dream ($6.50) to take on a Class One 1400m race.

Capel trainer Ross Price also tasted glory when veteran Swift Platinum ($2.45) saluted the judges in the $17,500 Aspired Aluminium and Glass Handicap (1410m).

Jockey Chris Parnham finished ahead of his brother Brad, who was on the Giadresco-trained Sixpence Spent. It was the third career win for Swift Platinum despite the four-year-old grey entire having 18 starts.

Darren McAuliffe’s War Room ($2.35) made it two wins from as many starts when he claimed victory in the $17,500 Kitchen Formations Handicap (1208m).

The promising four-year-old gelding broke his maiden status a fortnight ago in Northam and backed it up with an impressive run with Lee Newman in the saddle. War Room jumped well and sat towards the front of the pack on the outside, before making his move at the turn to push out a length and a half from Joseph Azzopardi and Muss Get It.

Newman then took War Room to the rail and the pair finished a comfortable length in front of Jason Whiting and the Brent Larsson-trained Snow Blossom.