Boyanup owner-trainer Greg Beauglehole was confident Crippalenko could break his maiden in the Westspeed Platinum (1000m) on Saturday and the Maschino gelding answered in the affirmative albeit with the help of a dream run along the rails.
Crippalenko (4g Maschino – Brookesmebaby by Bletchley Park) had been runner-up in two straight-course sprints at Pinjarra in March and appreciated Jason Whiting’s decision to take a short-cut around the Ascot home-turn to hold out Enchanting Sound (Gingerbread Man).
“He drew the wrong side of the track at Pinjarra and kept running away from the outside rail,” Beauglehole said. “He’s still maturing mentally and was looking around so we added blinkers. They ran time down there and they ran along quickly today, too.”
Maschino mare Just So Sassy took off in front and that helped the winner break 58 seconds. “He’s a big horse and we’ve taken him along slowly. I’ve got a fair opinion of him and that’s a double this weekend.”
Photo / Western Racepix
Beauglehole has been in form training recent Blackfriars winners Zackariah Beau and Miss Anonymity. He’s also a mad-keen Carlton fan and had already celebrated their Good Friday AFL victory over North Melbourne.
There’s a link with Carlton in the naming of Crippalenko through Blues legend Alex Jesaulenko. After ‘Jezza’ retired, coach Ron Barassi added ‘alenko’ to the surnames of favoured players and they basked in the nickname bestowed by the Great Man.
Crippalenko was the third winner in as many days by Alwyn Park stallion Maschino following Grand Reserve (Ascot) and Pure Chino (Geraldton). Beauglehole bred him from Brookesmebaby who won four in a row culminating with an Ascot victory in the spring of 2010.
She descends from Heytesbury Stud-bred filly Another Omen (Haulpak) who won the G2 Champion Fillies Stakes (1600m) and G3 Belmont Sprint (1400m) in 1987.
