The Real Whacker Powers to Glorious Finale Feature Victory

The Real Whacker rolled back the years with an impressive all-the-way victory in the feature race on the opening day of Perth Racecourse’s historic Glorious Finale.

Ridden positively by Brian Hughes, the 9/2 chance produced a commanding front-running display for trainer Patrick Neville to storm home two and a quarter lengths clear of Caughtinyourtrance in the Paul Ferguson’s Jumpers To Follow David Whitaker’s Handicap Chase.

It was an eye-catching performance from the talented chaser, with the addition of blinkers helping to bring out the best in him as connections now turn their attention towards another major autumn target.

“He’s getting a bit cute as he gets older so we put the blinkers on today,” Neville said. “We’ve sorted out one or two things and the next target for him will be the Charlie Hall Chase which he won so well two years ago.”

There was a considerably bigger surprise earlier on the card when Iain Jardine-trained Moon Reign caused a huge 80/1 upset in the Harvesting What Matters Most Novices’ Hurdle.

With hot favourite Jet To Stars beginning to fade from two out, Moon Reign and jockey Murray Dodd seized their opportunity. Producing an impressive turn of foot up the stands rail, the pair swept past their rivals to defeat Chicker by a length and a quarter.

“He was running in very deep ground when he was trained in Ireland but he seemed to handle conditions OK out there,” the winning jockey commented.

Fergal O’Brien also enjoyed a memorable afternoon at the Scone track, completing a 77/1 double courtesy of Frontier Prince and Tintintin.

Frontier Prince struck under Jack Hogan before Tintintin, partnered by Kielan Woods, completed the brace for the Gloucestershire trainer.

“It’s a long way from Gloucestershire but it’s been a good trip as we’ve had two winners and our other runner Chicker was second,” O’Brien said. “We’re coming into form at the right time of the year and we’re just looking for more rain in certain parts of the country.”

The action formed the opening chapter of Perth Racecourse’s two-day Glorious Finale, which brings the curtain down on another season of racing at the Scone Palace Park venue.

The meeting holds a special place in Perth’s racing history, with its origins stretching all the way back to 1613 when racing was first staged on the South Inch. The fixture moved to its present home in the parklands of Scone Palace in 1908 and, more than four centuries after its beginnings, continues to provide a fitting finale to the season.

With leading runners, trainers and jockeys from across the UK and Ireland in action, the Glorious Finale also provides an important stepping stone towards the winter jumps campaign.

Attention now turns to the second and final day of the meeting on Thursday 24 September, when another competitive afternoon of National Hunt racing will bring Perth Racecourse’s 2026 season to a close.

 

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