Hector Fawley dazzles under the Cannington lights to take out the $600,000 The Sandgroper (520m) on Thursday night.
The Lisa and Ian Cockerell-trained son of Bernardo has taken out WA's richest dog race in it's second edition, ripping clear with his trademark finish to see off brave local Sunset Frazer (Aaron Bain Racing/Summit Bloodstock) by a widening 4 ¼ lengths in 29.42s, while TABtouch's own Morton grabbed third (5 ¾).
Selected by the Ladbrokes group, Hector has long been regarded as one of the hardest chasers in the industry and proved that in spades on Thursday night with his booming finish to take home $300,000.
Drawn a middle box (6), many doubted whether the Cockerell runner would get his chance against such a talented field – having only one win from box six in five starts. But with six wins from boxes four and five and knowing he's more than capable from the centre, the Cockerell team was confident Hector would show his grit and with a touch of luck he'd be in the finish.
Clearly the slowest away, Hector Fawley was disengaged from the early blitz out in front and found his rhythm at the tail of the field, with the hometown hope Sunset Frazier finding the lead.
The luck the Cockerell team searched for came across the back when second-pick Explicit and Mepunga Smokey collided, leaving the perfect pathway for Hector to really motor through his gears.
Quickly reaching the leader when turning for home, Hector Fawley powered away to score comfortably and put an exclamation mark on the first of the three slot races Perth has in store this weekend.
Attention now turns to the Group 1 $1.25 million TABtouch The Nullarbor at Gloucester Park on Friday night for the second leg of the Western Trilogy, before all roads end at Ascot where the stage is set for the $5 million The Quokka on Saturday.
