So Schmick claims thrilling edition of Narrogin Cup

Albany trainer Steve Wolfe believes So Schmick could run in a Kalgoorlie or Broome Cup after narrowly winning Saturday’s $70,000 Narrogin Cup (1900m).

So Schmick backed up his strong third in the Albany Cup six days earlier to deliver Wolfe a third Narrogin Cup victory.

The five-year-old gelding only joined the Wolfe stable earlier this year, and appears to be a progressive staying type. “He has a fair bit of upside — he’s no superstar but I think he can go to town and win a few nice graduation races, then maybe target a Broome or Kalgoorlie Cup,” Wolfe said.

“He just keeps improving, and he’s going the right way.

“It’s nice to have a horse like him come into our stable, and I think he’s won $60,000 in the last two weeks after being purchased for $12,000, so it’s good for the owners.”

So Schmick jumped the third favourite in the small field of six and settled at the rear before hooking out wide turning for home.

Jockey Chris Nicoll timed his run to perfection, charging down the outside aboard So Schmick to level up with the leaders inside the final 200m before getting the head down on the line to edge out $3 favourite Our Idyll by a nose.

“We were pretty confident going into the race,” Wolfe said.

“It was marginally weaker than the Albany Cup. He was fitter and it was a smaller field so everything just fell into place.

“I had to watch it on someone’s phone at Ascot and I thought he had won.”

Albany trainer Jonathon Jachmann tasted success in Narrogin, with Highfriar scoring a dead-heat win with the Alanis O’Hara-trained On Red Alert in race one.

Mt Barker trainer Dave Hopperton also had a winner on the six-race card, with Raging Rocket breaking through for a second career win in race three for jockey Andrew Castle.

Sharon Miller finished the day with a winning double after Seminyak and Praying With God saluted in race four and six respectively.

Boyish justified his short quote of $1.70 to prevail in race two for trainer Kayla Farrell and jockey Simone Altieri.