It was fitting that Tye Angland should win Hawkesbury’s final race of the 2016-17 season.
Angland, who cut his riding teeth at the track when apprenticed to local trainer Garry Frazer, didn’t need to ride a winner at Sunday’s meeting to seal his second premiership success in the last three years.
Closest rivals Josh Parr (12 wins) and Brenton Avdulla (11) were absentees, but Angland made no bones about another title success by book-ending the program to boost his tally to 15. He won the opening race, the Western Sydney Wanderers 2YO Maiden Handicap (1000m) on Godolphin debutant Marble ($2.70), then put the icing on the premiership cake by landing the final event, the Nor-West Jets AFC Benchmark 70 Handicap (1800m), on $10 shot Manhattan Son.
Marble downed $1.80 favorite Songlike, whilst the Clarry Conners-trained Manhattan Son sustained a determined burst down the outside of the track to narrowly beat another $10 chance, More Moet.
Angland won the 2014-15 premiership at Hawkesbury with 18 wins, beating Avdulla (14). The roles were reversed last year when Avdulla, currently engaged in an enthralling battle with Hugh Bowman for Sydney riding honours, easily won the title with 23 wins to Angland’s 15.
Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott celebrated their first Hawkesbury premiership by winning the Beards Of Hope Cup Class 1 Handicap (1300m) with $2.90 favorite Street Pursuit.
The joint partnership prepared 17 winners during the season, five more than Chris Waller.
Scott Singleton, with nine wins, again was the best of the Hawkesbury trainers, finishing in third position.
Rachel King’s success on Street Pursuit took her to four Hawkesbury wins for the season – but it wasn’t enough to claim a premiership success.
Blaike McDougall, with five wins, held on to take the junior riding title from King, Jean Van Overmeire and Brock Ryan.
Hawkesbury trainer Jason Attard clinched his fifth victory of the season on his home track when he won the Sieders Truck Repairs Provincial & Country Maiden Handicap (1300m) with Seeking Affection ($5.50).
With Koby Jennings aboard, the gelding led home a Hawkesbury clean sweep, with locals also finishing second, third and fourth.
Karen Outtrim’s Lugard Road ($51) chased Seeking Affection home, whilst Garry White’s Cool One ($4.80) was third and Singleton’s $2.70 favorite Jaxim fourth.
Miss any of the action from the final Hawkesbury meeting of the season? Watch FREE replays here.
Final premiership results are: JOCKEYS T. Angland 15 J. Parr 12 B. Avdulla 11 J. Collett 10
TRAINERS G. Waterhouse & A. Bott 17 C. Waller 12 S. Singleton 9 G. White 7 G. Moore 7
APPRENTICES B. McDougall 5 J. Van Overmeire 4 B. Ryan 4 R. King 4