2022 St. Leger Review
The time honoured SA St Leger was conducted last night at Angle Park where another outstanding performance was produced in the age restricted classic. Springvale Maddi for Cherylee Barber was able to lead throughout and produce a brilliant performance in talking out the title.
Race favourite She’s A Hotshot for Troy Murray was heavily supported prior to the event, backed into a long odds on favourite on the back of her flying all the way heat win last week and the favourable inside draw. However as the start was affected it was Springvale Maddi who timed it perfectly to race to the front at the winning post on the first occasion. She’s A Hotshot did begin well and moved to second being challenged by Springvale Max for Gavin Harris, Little Purpose for Lisa Rasmussen and Maybe Wrong for Shelley Trengove as the racing was tight. As the high quality field of young sprinters left the front straight and into the back Springvale Maddi was in the clear out in the lead while Maybe Wrong moved around the outside into a clear second and gave strong chase. She’s A Hotshot was a few lengths back in third but was about to be challenged by Springvale Max and her kennel mate Wizardry Things which began to make good ground.
Off the back straight and Springvale Maddi was rolling in the lead out by 3 lengths from Maybe Wrong which was sticking on well. Springvale Max moved to a clear third along the inside followed through by Wizardry Things relegating She’s A Hotshot back to worse than midfield. Into the home straight and Springvale Maddi had shot well clear of her rivals going down to the line to win by over 5 lengths in a dominant display. She stopped the clock in a brisk 30.38, setting the race up early with a sizzling 5.23 and 17.71 first and second splits. Springvale Max flew home late to nose out Maybe Wrong for second, making it a litter quinella with his sister, both being by Barcia Bale and Springvale Bryne. Maybe Wrong ran the race of his life to claim third with Wizardry Things getting home well for fourth.
Springvale Maddi is locally bred by Gavin Harris and owned by Gavin and Cherylee and has now won 14 races from her 30 starts and 11 placings with career prizemoney just over $41,000.