Local sprinting hero and reigning Quokka champion Jokers Grin was a star attraction on a big day of racing at Ascot, and the Maschino gelding didn't let his fans or his backers down.
Jokers Grin was resuming after a six month spell in his paddock at trainer Bernie Miller's property, and the five year old paraded looking even bigger and stronger than he did in the Autumn.
Joker's Grin was sent to post a hot favourite for the G3 Prince Of Wales Stakes.
Punters conceded one serious rival to The Joker in this high pressure 1000m test, a distance at which he was unbeaten in six starts.
That was the talented Oscar's Fortune (Rich Enuff), resuming for his original trainer Dion Luciani after a stint in Victoria with Gavin Bedggood.
Oscar's Fortune was a previous runner up in the 2023 G1 Winterbottom Stakes to Overpass, and had run second in the G2 Schillaci Stakes on Caulfield Guineas day last year while still in the stable of Luciani.
The five year old has earned well over a million in stakes - not bad for a $5,500 Inglis Online yearling!
There was a little support for the Gangemi stable's quality speedster Repossession (Sessions) resuming after his win in the Listed Beaufine Stakes over the winter.
However, the Prince Of Wales result was never really in doubt.
Neville Parnham's Snowdome (Rommel), a winner of this race two seasons ago, knows only one speed and that's full bore.
The free running grey shot to the lead as expected on jumping, and bowled along at a smart clip with 125/1 shot Crippalenko (Maschino) travelling second in the leader's wake.
The rest of the small field of seven were racing in compact fashion behind them, with Paddy Carbery on Jokers Grin having his work cut out to restrain the hard charging favourite as they sat outside the main bunch.
Snowdome scooted into the straight in front as Crippalenko put up the white flag, but the challenges were coming thick and fast and the grey was quickly overhauled by Oscar's Fortune coming up the rail with a great run!
At the same time roughie Cut The Talk (Oratorio) was unleashing some unexpected heroics to be up there in the firing line and Repossession was finding clear air in which to show his big turn of foot - but the Joker was about to drop on them.
The powerful Maschino gelding swept up on the outside with a barnstorming finish that was too strong for Oscar's Fortune - who nevertheless showed a return to form that puts him right in the Ascot carnival conversation again.
And Jokers Grin is on track for his first attempt at the G1 Winterbottom Stakes, which will be run on Saturday 29th November.
The margin between first and second was just short of a length with Repossession getting up for third in advance of a gallant Cut The Talk.
The lightly raced Jokers Grin is now undefeated in seven starts at 1000m, and his overall record stands at eight wins and two seconds from eleven career outings.
Largely thanks to his Quokka victory, the Joker's prize money haul currently stands at a whopping $2,515,855 - and who wouldn't be grinning if they owned him!
Joker's Grin is a homebred for his 77 year old hobby trainer and beloved local industry character Miller, who sent his dam - the winning Barely A Moment mare Walk In Beauty - back to Maschino after her first visit to the son of Encosta De Lago produced the trainer's G3 winner Cup Night.
That galloper was a multiple stakes winning sprinter and the mating was even more successful next time around.
The dam of Walk In Beauty was by the very good broodmare sire Tale Of The Cat, while her grand dam Bank Burst was a stakes winning daughter of the mighty Vain and she became a prolific producer of durable sprinter milers.
The third dam of Jokers Grin was the talented race mare Dam Burst by Bold Lad, a stakes placed multiple black type producer.
This female line is of great and consistent quality going back to the remarkable mare Rainbird, winner of the 1945 Melbourne Cup, a branch of Colonial Family 7.
From Rainbird descends the great NZ sire and broodmare sire Centaine, and the famous “Tennessee” family as well as top performers like Malaguerra, Aloha, Seabrook, Snitzerland, Nina Haraka, Foreplay and Rain Affair to name a few!
Jokers Grin is bred
5f x 5f to Mr Prospector
4m x 4f to Danehill sex balanced
His dam Walk In Beauty by the 3x G1 winning Gilded Time son Barely A Moment, has had five foals by Maschino and of three to race two are stakes winners.
Waiting in the wings are a 2024 filly and a 2025 colt.
Walk In Beauty's 2018 foal by Vital Equine became the handy performer Ciscojoe.
The mighty Maschino goes from strength to strength - a prolific sire of quality gallopers, the son of Encosta De Lago is widely admired for his ability to get horses of exceptional natural athleticism and talent.
Maschino stands at Alwyn Park Stud in Serpentine at a fee of $8,800.
