Per Sempre springs surprise at Mornington

The A$130,000 LouvreTec Melbourne Handicap (1200m) at Mornington on Saturday was always expected to have a strong New Zealand flavour, but it ended up coming from an unexpected source with upset winner Per Sempre (NZ) (Per Incanto).

The race was expected to be dominated by the Contributer mare Concord Connie, who had begun her career last season with three highly impressive wins from four starts. Also prominent in the market was the New Zealand import Hankee Alpha (NZ) (Proisir), now trained by Cindy Alderson after recording two wins and four placings from 11 starts with Lance O’Sullivan and Andrew Scott.

However, Hankee Alpha’s Australian debut was delayed after being late-scratched at the barriers, while Concord Connie had to settle for a close second after failing to catch the $31 outsider Per Sempre.

The Charles Cassar-trained Per Sempre was ridden by Logan Bates and strode forward to take the lead after the first 200m of the race. That was where she stayed, and she put herself three or four lengths clear of Concord Connie with a strong kick at the top of the straight.

Concord Connie warmed into her work and dashed home late, but Per Sempre never stopped. She kept fighting and kept holding on, scoring a narrow but impressive win.

“The last five strides, I wasn’t entirely confident, the way Concord Connie was coming at me,” Bates said. “But credit to Charlie and this horse. She’s very honest and very tough.

“We had to adapt and come up with a new plan, obviously with the scratchings coming out of the race. We wanted to be a bit more positive. She bounced really well and there wasn’t much speed.

“She can get a bit keen, so I just had to guide her through her gears and get her in a comfortable enough rhythm.

“She quickened well off the corner. I thought she might be a bit vulnerable late, but just with a bit of a fitness edge and being well weighted, she got the job done.”

Per Sempre has now had 32 starts for seven wins, 13 placings and A$296,205 in stakes.

“Fantastic,” said Cassar, who also shares in the ownership of the seven-year-old.

“Stepping up to 1200m, she was able to make her own luck.

“She could have won two or three in this preparation if she’d had a bit more luck. She’s been very unlucky this time in. So I’m really pleased for the connections.

“After they’d gone a furlong and she wasn’t over-racing, I thought it was going to be hard for the others to get past her, because she really fights.

“She’s a good-quality mare, but her racing pattern usually relies on luck. That wasn’t the case today. I thought she was way overs, and I’m rapt with the result.

“It’s going to give us some rating points, so the plans will have to change. We might need to raise our sights a bit, but that’s not a bad thing.”

Per Sempre is by Little Avondale Stud stallion Per Incanto and is out of the Conatus mare Confidante (NZ).