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MELBOURNE - Bargain buy Uptown Lass has proved a bonanza for connections and made it back-to-back successes with a determined win in the Timbercorp Handicap at Moonee Valley on Saturday.
Cranbourne trainer Ray Borg picked up the daughter of Langfuhr for just A$1250 ($1400) at the William Inglis June Sale last year.
Uptown Lass has now had nine starts for three wins and two placings and Saturday's first prize of A$32,500 took her earnings to A$53,250.
"She came into the ring looking a bit woolly and we were just lucky to be there I guess," Borg said of the sale scoop.
Starting the $6 equal favourite, Uptown Lass ploughed through the heavy conditions under Nicholas Hall in the 1200m A$50,000 race to score by 1 1/4 lengths over Valentinos Dancer ($7.50) with Rich Forever, a drifter from $4.60 to $8, just a half-head away in third.
"The bidding opened at $500 for her and I think I put one bid in for her," Borg said.
"I didn't really need another horse, but anyway we got her home and there it is. I didn't look at her before the sale, she just walked into the ring and everything has worked out fine."
Borg said he had been tempted to turn the filly out for a spell but while she was in such good form he would keep her going.
* Trainer Robbie Laing notched a winning double when Hunter Hermitage, having his second start in just four days, took out the Turf Accountants Handicap at Moonee Valley.
Laing revealed that rising 10-year-old Hunter Hermitage, who was fourth to Rubiscent over 1400m at Sandown on Wednesday, had taken racing to reach his top this campaign.
Sent out at $7.50 on Saturday, Hunter Hermitage scored by a head over Heavenly Pun ($5) with Nugget Of Gold ($13) three-quarters of a length away in third in the 1600m race.
"He's a hard horse to work at home," Laing said. He's got no idea of working evens, so he had a good hitout on Wednesday where he wasn't fit enough but a heavy 10 today was right up his alley.
Hunter Hermitage has been a Laing stable stalwart who rarely goes a preparation without collecting a pay cheque.
"He's been a great old horse for the stable. As soon as it gets really heavy he generally wins one for us."
Laing scored earlier in the day with promising jumper Terrain in the Barr Smith Hurdle (3200m).
- AAP
