Supersession showed a brilliant turn of foot to come from the rear of the field to win the $125,000 Fitzpatrick Plate (1230m) in a three-way photo-finish at Albany on Sunday.
With champion jockey Willie Pike timing his run to perfection on the lightly-raced $2.70 favourite, Supersession arrived right on the line to defeat Brazen Beau geldings Beau Zoom and Resonator in the Great Southern’s feature sprint of the season. (Photo / Laurie Benson). Last year’s Fitzpatrick winner Strathmore Rose (War Chant) was beaten a length and change into fourth place.
Supersession (4g Sessions – Talk of Angels by Rock Of Gibraltar) is trained by Adam Durrant for owner-breeders John Blackburn and Peter Rogers and the victory was his first since a hat-trick at Belmont, Pinjarra and Ascot this time last year.
“He had a torrid run sitting deep and I was definitely nervous during the race,” stable foreman Jordan Rolfe confessed. “We’re really proud of this horse and it’s good for Willie to come down here and get the result.”
It also made amends for Blackburn and Rogers who raced his dam Talk of Angels to six wins at Albany and Mt Barker after she was purchased from champion trainer Peter Moody. But she missed out in the 2014 Fitzpatrick Plate when beaten a neck by Corporate Larrikin (Trade Fair).
Talk of Angels has been covered by Oakland Park sire Sessions (Lonhro) every year bar one since 2017. She hails from New Zealand’s famed ‘Belle’ family through her dam Mary Lavelle (O’Reilly) who won the LR South Island 2yo Stakes (1200m) at Riccarton in 2006.
Oakland Park had provided Durrant Racing with a promising 3yo winner last Sunday week at Bunbury when its Playing God homebred Lord Shiva made all in the Michael Lane Racing Maiden (1200m).
