Albany jockey Natasha Faithfull strikes a rich vein of form with four winners in a week

Albany jockey Natasha Faithfull is in red-hot form and has four wins to her name after just two meetings of the new Great Southern season. Faithfull rode a double at Friday’s meeting in Albany, transferred from Mt Barker Turf Club after a nearby dam burst and flooded a section of their home straight just days out from racing. The 28-year-old started the eight-race card at Percy Spencer Racecourse in the best possible way as she teamed up with her mother and trainer Samantha to win the opener with Combat Ready ($13). Combat Ready had been unplaced in three previous starts for Samantha Faithfull but Natasha had her up on the speed in the small field of seven and ground past Ayasha in the home straight to win by a neck. “Was disappointing last year when we got him but obviously needed a spell,” Natasha Faithfull said. “We thought it was too short for him and out of his grade so we weren’t expecting him to win but couldn’t be happier with his progress.” Faithfull then booted home impressive maiden winner Pro Is Here for the Steve Wolfe stable in race three. Jumping a $3.90 second favourite, Pro Is Here followed up his eye-catching second earlier in the month at Albany to lead all the way at his fifth career start. Faithfull landed the four-year-old in front from barrier three and they snuck clear on the home corner, going on to defeat the well-fancied favourite Mountain Ash by three lengths. “I galloped Pro Is Here a few weeks back and said to Wolfey I was keen to stick with him,” she said. “I think he’s a nice horse and will go through his grade in Albany pretty easily.” It was a terrific week in the saddle for Faithfull after she rode a winner at Belmont Park on Wednesday and then scored with A Steamy Affair in Geraldton on Sunday. She has 23 winners to her name across WA this season. Wolfe finished with a double after new stable acquisition Worth A Risk won race seven, downing stablemate Chasing Chaos by 0.4 lengths. Local galloper Athlone Castle was a strong winner second-up after holding out a challenge from Classic Magnus in race five. Adam Durrant tasted success in his trip south with Nurhaci upsetting the favourite Lacevinsky in the Arthur Davies Congratulations On Life Membership Handicap (1240m). Candijay claimed the final event on the program, coming from fourth on the home turn to hand Paul Hunter his first winner of the Great Southern season.

Albany jockey Natasha Faithfull strikes a rich vein of form with four winners in a week

The No. 1 source of news for every West Australian

Everyday Digital

Everyday Digital + Weekend Papers