A walk in the park for Forrest

After a frustrating season, jockey Renee Forrest found the right formula at Carnarvon on Saturday.

Sweeping all before her, Forrest rode the last three winners on the six-event card from five rides, with the late scratching of Obatala in the 1000m Direct Produce Distributors Handicap.

Then at Kalgoorlie on Sunday, she landed a winning double.

Forrest started the day on Saturday with a second place on board the Mark Brennan-trained Mascherano in the 1200m Loveapple Maiden.

Mascherano proved no match for the Michael Ball-trained The Daintree ($13), who won by 5 1/4 lengths, with Activate Me ($2.30) battling away to secure third place.

It was another Brennan-trained galloper, O’Reilly’s Crumpet ($4.60), in the 1600m Carnarvon Growers Association Handicap, that kickstarted Forrest’s winning treble.

Coming from well back on the turn, O’Reilly’s Crumpet carried too many guns for Juendis ($2), winning by a half-head. Hue And Cry ($31) held on for the minor placing after looking a chance on the corner.

Forrest produced a similar ride on the Graeme Hammarquist-trained Balmont Stunner ($5) to take out the 1700m Junction Cup Prelude.

Coming from midfield on the corner, Balmont Stunner proved too strong in the run home, beating early leader Regal Honour ($6) by 2 1/2 lengths, with Faralon ($4) a further 2 1/2 lengths away in third place.

The Hammarquist/Forrest combination were again at the forefront when Diamond Jolson ($4.20) took out the 1400m Mercer Mooney Handicap by 4 1/4 lengths from Carabbean Princess ($31) and Portrait Lao ($4.80).

Diamond Jolson, sent straight to the front by Forrest, has now won three and been placed once from four starts at Carnarvon.

Another powerhouse of Carnarvon racing this season — Faith In Fate — continued on his winning way, taking out the 1200m Junction Races 24th-26th August Handicap.

Ridden by Lisa Staples, Faith In Fate ($1.55) was in the leading pair throughout, and has now won at his past three starts for trainer Zach Tyler.

Two For Twenty Two ($6.50) and Run For A Reason ($9) filled the minor placings but were no match for the winner.

The 1000m Direct Produce Distributors Handicap produced the best finish of the day with little separating Net Profit, Rosa Filente and Dam Lucky on the line.

In a tight photo finish, Net Profit ($6) got the judge’s verdict by a short neck from Rosa Filente ($61) and a further short neck to Dam Lucky ($14).

Favourite Lady Talent ($2.15), who had been at the front from when the gates opened, weakened in the run home to finish in fourth place, 2 1/2 lengths from the winner.

Racing in the Gascoyne switches to Gascoyne Junction on August 25, with the next meeting at Carnarvon on Friday, August 31.