HE gave punters a late scare, but Count De Rupee has secured a second victory at Rosehill and cleared the path for a trip to Queensland.
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The Robert and Luke Price-trained horse looked to have the 1400 metres benchmark 78 wrapped up when he hit the front with 300m to go, however he then laid in as jockey Tommy Berry fought hard to keep the horse pushing to the line.
The $2.15 favourite ultimately reached the winning post, defeating Napoleon Solo and Zing.
A date with the Brisbane Carnival looms, Count De Rupee nominated for the Group 1 Kingsford-Smith Cup and Group 1 Stradbroke Handicap.
Luke Price acknowledged it wasn't the gelding's best run, but put that down to inexperience.
"He's done a few things wrong there," former Nowra-based trainer Price told Sky Racing.
"It's only his ninth start for the horse and first time on a gluey track.
"He's a better chaser, so maybe he had a good look around, and half switched off.
"He can do that at track work, if he can put them to bed at track work, which he does most of the time, he can switch off quite easily.
"It's very exciting for the stable still."
Count De Rupee's win came as Gwenda Markwell showed why she is the region's leading trainer with a treble at Kembla Grange on Saturday.
Stable apprentice Jess Del Frari had the best day of her young career, riding two winners on Linden and Highballer.
Only racing since August, the victories marked her first on her home track.
"Winning at Kembla Grange is super," Del Frari said.
"I honestly couldn't ask for anything more.
"Linden travelled nicely for me, she was honest about herself and I'm happy with the way she went."
Markwell's third winner came through Readathon, the frustrating mare finally putting together a complete race to snap a 14-month drought.
The four-year-old was impressive in winning a 2000m class one and maiden plate by more than three lengths and jockey Alysha Collett said such a performance has been a long time coming.
"I'm just so happy for her," Collett said.
"She deserved that and you know what, with a similar field next start, she'll run the exact same and go close again.
"I'm just so happy for her."
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Cameron Mee
Sports reporter at the Canberra Times
Sports reporter at the Canberra Times
