Local sprinter Mnementh has reversed the result from last year’s Wagga Town Plate, nailing a courageous Front Page in a photo finish to give trainer Mitch Beer one of his biggest career wins.
Ridden by Winona Costin, Mnementh ($10) settled midfield and relished the solid tempo, unleashing a strong run down the centre of the track to reel in Front Page ($2.60 betr fav) and Ang Pow ($6), who had been fighting the race out.
He scored by a short head over the reigning Kosciuszko winner with Ang Pow another long neck back in a thrilling battle.
Mnementh started at $71 when beaten more than four lengths by Front Page in the corresponding race last year but has come a long way since then and with a 6.5kg weight turnaround he was able to exact revenge.
The victory was an emotional one for Beer, who now calls the NSW Riverina home but has had to work hard to re-establish himself since relocating from Victoria.
“When I moved from Mornington, this was the only horse I had left,” Beer told Sky Thoroughbred Central.
“He’s carried me financially through some pretty rough times early on when I moved up here.
“I wanted to buy the horse and I was cactus and had nothing and all the committee at Albury (Race Club) supported me and jumped in. For this horse to do that for them, it’s just bloody unreal.”
Beer said Mnementh’s triumph was a team effort and an important one for the local community.
“Wins like this make you so proud of all the people you’ve got around you,” he said.
“They’re special wins and they mean a lot in this community and to win a race like this for an area we call home now, it’s very special.”
The well-travelled Costin did a great job to find cover on Mnementh despite an awkward draw and said the gelding showed a great will to win.
“Front Page is a very talented horse, but our horse just dug in,” Costin said.
“This horse was trained to the minute, he was fantastic out there.”
Front Page turned in a remarkable performance after being forced to work hard to cross from an outside draw, defying his 61kg impost to keep lifting for Tyler Schiller and go down fighting.