Courageous Trade Storm rewards trainer’s patience

Wagin trainer Angela Smith was filled with joy at Percy Spencer Racecourse last Friday when rising six-year-old Trade Storm scored a fighting victory in the Aqua Ice Handicap (1600m).

Trade Storm ran a strong second to Miss Dominican, who went on to run third in Saturday’s Group 3 WA Oaks, at Ascot earlier this month.

The lightly raced gelding settled fourth in running before cutting back to the inside and grabbed the lead in the final 100m for hoop Jerry Noske to hold off the fast-finishing favourite Sowar by 0.3 lengths.

Smith said she knew Trade Storm always had good ability despite almost losing him a couple of years ago.

“He is definitely a nice horse, it’s a pretty special story actually he had laminitis and nearly died about two years ago,” Smith said.

“He was really sick and could barely walk so to get him back racing is amazing. He is learning more and more each run.”

Danehill Storm, also trained by Smith and a half brother to Trade Storm, notched his fourth straight second placing in race four.

Force Element recorded the most memorable win on the program for veteran Albany trainer Dixie Solly, saluting at $126 in the last race.

The nine-year-old stormed from seventh on the home corner for rider Beaux Banovic-Edwards to record the fastest final 600m split and win by a length over Glen Albyn.

Young apprentice Madi Derrick rode her second winner in the Great Southern when $21 chance Throttle held on bravely in the TABtouch Better Your Bet Maiden (1500m).

Derrick sent the Jonathon Jachmann-trained gelding straight to the front and kicked four lengths clear halfway down the straight before holding off favourite Peggie’s Joy by 0.3 lengths.

Local trainers Steve Wolfe and Samantha Faithfull also had winners on the seven-race card.

Starting a $1.80 favourite, Sea War was a dominant winner for Wolfe and Shaun McGruddy beating their rivals by 3.1 lengths in the Wellington and Reeves Maiden (1100m) while Natasha Faithfull booted home Black Missile in race four.