It came down to the wire but fittingly it was Beau Rossa for Will Clarken in the $107,500 Listed Lightning Stakes that secured Todd Pannell the 2020-21 Adelaide Jockey Premiership.
Beau Rossa stamped his class and gave every indication he’s poised for a big spring campaign as he came off the speed before powering away for a dominating win in testing heavy conditions.
The win was enough for Pannell to draw level with Jessica Eaton on 63 wins for the season and ultimately securing the title on a countback.
“It’s really good to get it again, to back up from last year,’’ Pannell said.
“I would have liked to have done it a bit sooner.
“Coming in today I was a little bit nervous, they weren’t running for me early in the day,’’ he said.
And Pannell said it was made the victory more special combining with Clarken.
“Will has been a big supporter of mine, it was good to get the last winner with Beau Rossa,’’ he said.
It was an anxious build up to the feature for connections of the favourite with Clarken on the verge of scratching the horse when Morphettville received rain throughout the day before the feature was run on a Heavy 10.
“I didn’t know where or not I was doing the right thing running the horse,’’ Clarken said.
It was a big end to the season for the leading trainer after former WA galloper Specialism and He’s A Balter scored earlier in the day.
While it was back-to-back premierships for Pannell, Michael Hickmott’s emergence as a powerhouse in the South Australian training ranks was confirmed winning his first Metropolitan Trainers Premiership.
Hickmott has led the table for pillar to post, a double with Preakness and Lake’s Folly securing the title with 40 city wins from Tony and Calvin McEvoy (38) and the Phillip Stokes stable on 35.
The 2021-22 SA racing season now kicks off at Gawler on Wednesday before the opening metropolitan meeting of the season at Murray Bridge on Saturday.
IMAGE: Atkins Photography
