BLAZING A TRAIL

Leading metropolitan trainers Grant and Alana Williams and champion jockey William Pike teamed up with Burning Pride to take out the $70,000 XXXX Gold Narrogin Cup (1900m) on Sundayin dominant fashion at Narrogin Racing. Burning Pride jumped out a hot $1.60 favourite after fellow fancy The Big Show was scratched in the lead up to the Narrogin Race and Pace feature race. The five-year-old mare has won its last three starts after Sunday’s triumph, winning by more than two lengths to Here Comes Lenni while Superior Smile filled third. Jumping from barrier seven Pike went straight to the rails with the favourite and had only one horse behind it approaching the 600m mark. Pike got the mare moving prior to the field turning for home and Burning Pride shot the lead inside the final 250m, kicking clear to a slashing victory. Pike said Burning Pride was flying in its current preparation. “Once I got clear it was all over really, she never looked like getting beat,” Pike said. “She’s been an absolute ripper. “She just keep producing for us, it’s great really. “They (Grant and Alana) were thinking the Albany Cup.” Burning Pride is likely to be nominated for the $100,000 Albany Cup (2100m) this Sunday and could be aimed towards the bigger Pinjarra and Bunbury cups later on. “When a horse is in form like this you never say never that’s for sure. She’s already kept surprising me and I think it’s time to give her a chance to raise the bar.” Pike teamed up with Darren McAuliffe to bookend the card with debutant Talladega winning the first in impressive fashion and then the well-supported Hyperspace was too good in the last race. Leaders Alexis Olympia (race two), Boyish (three) and Dolly Em (four) were all able to kick in the home straight to win their respective races. Apprentice rider Jade McNaught was able to get Tortina home in race six for the first time in more than a year while Triple Event for jockey Jason Whiting and Jeff Pike took out race five.