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Having his second start for Peter and Paul Snowden, Testa Rossa four-year-old gelding Never Fazed headed to Newcastle on Saturday to contest the final race of the day, the Strathayr (Benchmark 65) over 1200m.

A first-up fourth almost three weeks back, Never Fazed appeared slightly uncomfortable on the heavy track that day, and back to a good surface on Saturday, everything fell into place for the Finemore Thoroughbreds, Planette Thoroughbred Trading Pty Ltd, Laurel Oak Bloodstock Pty Ltd, Boeara Holdings, Mr P J Duggan, Mr P J Macbeth, Mr A N Fitzgerald, Mrs K A Fraser, Mr D A Jeffery, Rdfit Pty Ltd and Mr R Ward-owned runner.

Ridden by Mitchell Bell, never Fazed defeated Dylan’s Rojo by a head, with a short head to Star Thriller in third.

If you’re a watcher of the trials and the form, Never Fazed was a certainty as in his final trial before his first-up run this time in he finished third, beaten one-and-a-half lengths by Dear Demi, with that mare proving too classy in the Group Two Stock Stakes on Friday night – but then again, there are no certainties in racing!!

Contesting the Group One Moir Stakes on Friday night, there was clearly a lot against our Group One winner Rebel Dane – 1200m, an extremely small field, and once they jumped away from the gates and he found himself back in the field, it was always going to be hard.

But once again, he knuckled down late and flew along the inside for jockey Craig Williams to be beaten into third, a short head behind the World’s Top Rated Sprinter Lankan Rupee who was second, beaten a short head being Buffering in first.

All in all it was a very sound run considering he was coming off a seven week let up and we are looking forward to the rest of his campaign!

Congrats to trainer Gary Portelli and all involved with Rebel Dane.

Rebel Dane on the inside finishes a gallant third in the Group One Moir Stakes

Having not finished worse that fifth in his ten runs since his last win, our four-year-old War Pass gelding Warinda mange to get his head down when it counted, winning his second career victory when taking out the Bottle Mart Plate (1600m) at Canberra on August 29.

Starting the race favourite based on his utter consistency, the Keith Dryden-trained Warinda settled midfield before producing and effort to win the race by a half head margin from Sindariya with a length back to the third placed Bank On Henry.

A graduate from the Widden Stud draft at the 2011 Inglis Classic Yearling Sale, Warinda has never finished further back that fifth, and while everyone would like him to win more often, he is very consistent and now that he has managed to secure another victory, we hope he can now go on with it.

Out of the Woodman mare Tolinda, herself a half-sister to South Africa’s Champion Two-year-old Male Tytola (Last Tycoon), both out of the dual Group Three-winning, Group One placed Tolanda, Warinda’s extensive list of owners include; Laurel Oak Bloodstock Pty Ltd Synd (Mgr: L Mihalyka), D & Mrs C Jeffery, D Caldwell, W Seay Jnr, R Wise, D Emmerick, K Hudson, P & Mrs A Hickey, S Cottle, Ms L Hanrahan, D Ulrich, P Hart, Mrs J Murray, G Luton, B Luton, M Duncan, G Hargraves & Redbank North Pty Ltd Synd (Mgr: J Middleton) and we would like to congratulate them on the victory.