First win for Shaw-Stephens partnership at Alexandra Park

By Michael Guerin

There is always something exciting about new things in racing even when they have a touch of the old.

And both juvenile winners at Alexandra Park on Friday had a bit of both.

First to the new and the first winner for the training partnership of Tony Shaw and James Stephens who took out the Gallagher Insurance Young Guns heat for the fillies with Eternal Perfection.

It may have been the first win for the new partners and Stephens is relatively new to the training game but he is already well-known in harness racing as “Jimmy” the man who looked after Self Assured. 

To the old, well older, Shaw is one of racing legends of our industry as much for being a great guy and once losing half his skull for a few months as also driving Yulestar to win a New Zealand Cup, Hunter Cup and Inter Dominion.

But mainly for being a great guy.

The pair were bought together by Mark Purdon, who drove Eternal Perfection who was bred and part-owned by Dancingonmoonlight and looks a filly with a motor and a brain.

“This is a huge thrill,” said Stephens after the win.

“To be entrusted with a filly like this and to be learning from a trainer like Tony, it is a great opportunity.”

Eternal Perfection would appear to have the wood on her rivals from Friday night heading to the Fillies Final in two weeks but she is still likely to have her last-start conqueror Lady Di and first heat winner Daisy Bay to get past so there is work to be done.

Friday night’s other juvenile winner Tour Party may come from a stable we know in the Dalgetys and with a brother we love in Republican Party but he brings a whole different level of excitement of his own.

He looked sharper and clearly better for his winning debut in a three-horse field at Addington and raced keen and mean on Friday.

In the hands of Carter Dalgety he led easily and raced clear of second favourite Coal Fire in a 56.5 second last 800m, the 400 in 26.7 on tight lines.

In the space of one race he has come from looking good to being the early season benchmark and it will take something special to beat him in the boy’s final in a fortnight.

The six-horse open class pace saw five horses across the track on the line as Better Knuckle Up first outpointed leader Rubira then held out a very brave Freeze Frame, who went so close to a big win against older horses in his first three-year-old start.

Better Knuckle up is going to a factor in plenty of good races over the next year while Freeze Frame adds even more depth to this three-year-old crop, remembering he already has the scalp of Jumal.

Back to the old though and two trotters who have seen plenty of race nights quinellaed the main trot in an order that would have seem impossible two years ago.

One-time battler Romeo Foxtrot used his manners and handicap start to beat Oscar Bonavena in what will be a career highlight for trainer Susan Branch and her group of cross-coding owners.

And just to add to the feel good flavour on the night Lady Of The Light returned to winning form in the last race courtesy of a smart Monika Ranger drive that saw her lead and blaze home in 55.7 seconds to beat a very good Francent.