Two of WA’s most recent feature winners to reignite rivalry in Cyril Flower Stakes at Ascot this weekend

Two of WA’s most recent feature event winners have become arch-rivals in recent weeks and will settle a score in the Listed $125,000 Bisley Workwear Cyril Flower Stakes (1200m) at Ascot this Saturday. Man Crush, courtesy of a canny Chris Parnham ride, shot to prominence with victory in the Miss Andretti Stakes (1100m) on January 11 when the leading hoop took cover behind Oxbridge in the early stages. Parnham, who is currently tied with Victorian jockey Blake Shinn in the nationwide season premiership, then angled the Manhattan Rain gelding into the clear with 500m to travel and surged over the top to score by a length, with a head-bobbing photo separating Premium Choice and Twain’s Angel for the placings. But two weeks on when drawn the opposite end of the track in the Scenic Blast Stakes (1200m), Luke Fernie’s gelding missed the kick and was forced back to the tail of the field before ripping home into second place. A length-and-a-half ahead of him was Twain’s Angel, who made no mistake from the inside gate but found herself buried three-back the fence. But Derrick angled the Toronado mare into the clear with 600m remaining and Sean and Jake Casey’s four-year-old responded, running away from Man Crush and early leader Norich. Having shared the spoils of WA’s Saturday Listed events over the last month, the two now come to a tiebreak in this weekend’s highlight contest and very little will separate them in starting position and betting. Twain’s Angel again draws gate one for the third consecutive start but has eased on TABtouch from $1.90 to $2.20, while Man Crush in position two got out to $3.10 but has been turned back into $2.75. Norich ($7) won three straight races in November and December and although rising up in grade, has performed admirably in two successive third placings in the Summer Scorcher and Scenic Blast. His early pace will be hard to resist and shapes as the early leader once more. Vast Art ($10) made late gains on Alsephina (who was not bustled) in a Pinjarra trial on January 28 and appears here for his first start since finishing down the track in October’s Eurythmic Stakes. Prior to that, he won the Hannans Handicap in Kalgoorlie and is a first-up winner in the past but is probably looking for a touch further. Snowdome ($11) was another who contested the Scenic Blast Stakes last time and after parking behind Norich, battled on stoutly to run a three-length fourth. Coming off an eight-week breaking into that performance and now as a five-year-old, it’s expected that the run will provide him with plenty of improvement. Oly’s Choice ($12) returned a 1200m trial winner by six lengths after being beaten the same margin in his first trial at Lark Hill two weeks earlier. Another horse that has won first-up but again may be looking for a bit longer distance. + Later that night, Cannington will host the Listed $30,530 Sires On Ice (WA) Puppy Classic Final (520m) with visiting bitch Sweet Bee the $2.90 favourite. Although beaten in her beat by Sunset Lightfoot ($16), the two find themselves at opposite ends of the betting this week. West On Sidney ($4) is an expected improver having run third on debut behind Sunset Worm ($7.50), who was the fastest heat winner. Motor City Sonny ($4.40) beat Fleetwood Kazak ($5.50) in the last of the three qualifiers and no dog has more race experience than Adam Smithson’s charge. + Some of WA’s top mares will line up in the Group 3 $50,000 Laurie Kennedy FFA (1730m) at Gloucester Park on Friday night, but the superlative Steno stifles betting at $1.28. Punters snapped at the $1.50 opening price and courtesy of her brilliant gate speed and with stablemate Peaceful ($10) drawn the pole, it’s expected the half-a-million-dollar earner will pounce on the front and lead all the way. Water Lou ($6.50) steps up to face mares’ company in her first outing as an aged horse but has an impressive record of 21 wins from 28 starts. She beat Wonderful To Fly ($7) by 2.5m in a trial at Pinjarra last week, though Wonderful To Fly has only had two months off as opposed to Water Lou’s four. Wonderful To Fly, who has won nearly $800,000 in an outstanding career, performed creditably but was still below her lofty best in her most recent preparation and will be looking to get back on track this season.