Guy Walter capped another fine day out at Randwick on Saturday with a winning double, including the Listed Nivison Stakes with outsider Balmont.
The six-year-old, who was sent out at $31 in the 1200m event, dived through late to claim Pontiana ($15) by a neck with Ofcourseican ($3.50) a length away third.
Balmont’s first-up victory came after the Warwick Farm trainer took out the Diona Rose of Tralee Handicap with Foxstar.
The Nivison Stakes has been a successful race for Walter over the years with the trainer previously winning with Razor Blade (1998), Spinning Hill (2000) and Whoever (2006).
The win also marked a successful return to Randwick for the trainer who only two weeks earlier claimed two Group One events with three-year-olds Streama and Doctor Doom.
Walter said he was thrilled with the Nivison result.
“I was a little bit concerned about her fitness on a wet track, I knew she went vey well fresh and I instructed (jockey) Jeff Penza to hold her up for the last run,” Walter said.
“It’s a thrilling win all round, and it’s the fourth time I’ve won this race.”
Balmont had done the majority of her preparation at Walter’s satellite stable at Goulburn and the trainer said it was a special win for him and owners Kooringal Stud.
“It’s great for Kooringal Stud and the Lamont family, they’ve had a tough week as they had to had to put (stallion) Bureaucracy down through old age,” Walter said.
“He (Bureaucracy) been a great horse for me, with horses like Court’s In Session, Bobadah, and Forward Scout.”
He said there were no ambitious plans for the mare in the immediate future.
“We’ve got no great plans, she’s done her job today, winning a stakes race,” he said.
AAP TURF
