Gutsy mare Wild Imagination holds off rivals to win Premier’s Plate at Morphettville
Apprentice Alana Livesey was thrilled to win the Premier’s Plate aboard Wild Imagination for trainer David Page as she reached a milestone herself at Morphettville on Saturday.
Tough mare Wild Imagination has handed trainer David Page the biggest win of his career, sticking on for a gutsy win in the Listed Premier’s Plate (2000m) at Morphettville on Saturday.
Bought for $20,000 at an Inglis Online Sale in 2024, Wild Imagination provided Page with his first city win at Morphettville in December, before the mare won back-to-back country cups in Nhill and Warrnambool in December and January.
A 12-time race winner, Wild Imagination was narrowly beaten by in last month’s Strathalbyn Cup, but she was not to be denied on Saturday, holding off a charging Silente Surrente.
The daughter of Makfi piloted the field under apprentice Alana Livesey, who claimed one the biggest wins of her fledgling career, as the pair held off a fast-finishing Silente Surrente out wide.
“To ride for someone like David Page, and his mum (it’s great), it was only their first metro win not long ago,” Livesey said post-race.
“She’s (Wild Imagination) just so gutsy.”
Wild Imagination leads all the way for a strong win to make it four wins from her past six starts 🙌 pic.twitter.com/IGkfIuXLWL
— Racing.com (@Racing) February 8, 2025
The win was not only Livesey’s second stakes winner as a jockey, but also saw her outride her 2kg claim as an apprentice.
“It’s been a frustrating last month, I’ve run a lot of placings, but that’s my 50th metro winner,” she said.
“To tick off that 2kg is fantastic, Mel Stewart, my manager is down here this week so it’s great to be able to do that in front of her.
“Shout out to a family friend, PJ, who’s suffering a big battle, I hope this puts a smile on his face.”
The Premier’s Plate also saw stayer The Map turn in her first performance since last year’s Melbourne Cup, the mare hit the line strongly to finish sixth, beaten three lengths, and will head to the Group 3 Lord Reims (2600m) before a planned Adelaide Cup (3200m) tilt.
While trainers Dan Clarken and Oopy MacGillivray didn't find themselves in the winner’s stall with The Map, they were there earlier in the day with promising two-year-old Steel Trap, who won Saturday’s opening race, a 2YO Handicap over 1050m.
The filly charged to an impressive three-length win under Jacob Opperman over heavily-spruiked favourite La Roux.
Gordon Richards and Damien Moyle also produced a good training performance, preparing My Khalifa for an impressive first-up win in a Benchmark 90 over 1100m.
The nine-time race winner, who saluted at odds of $21 (Sportsbet), stormed home under the riding of talented apprentice Taylor Johnstone to deny Klabel by the barest of margins on the line.
Leading apprentice Rochelle Milnes narrowly missed a maiden stakes victory of her own aboard Silente Surrente, but the hoop was able to share riding honours on the day with Johnstone – both young guns scored a double on Saturday’s nine-race card.
Perfect four for Coffey ends ‘lean patch’
Harry Coffey had a perfect day in the saddle at Caulfield with four wins from as many rides to break a self-described lean run.
Striking colt grabs Attention for Guineas tilt
Public Attention announced himself as a Group 1 Randwick Guineas contender with an impressive return win in the Group 3 Eskimo Prince Stakes at Randwick.