Ken Casellas | Photo: Hamilton Content Creators
Six years ago, eight-time leading WA trainer Ross Olivieri sold well-performed pacer Assassinator to South Australians Christopher and Justin Nicol and the 12-year-old is still racing with youthful enthusiasm.
Assassinator, a winner of 19 races in Western Australia, has given the Nicol family considerable pleasure with 16 wins in South Australia and one in Victoria and the veteran has amassed $322,772 in prizemoney from 36 wins and 61 placings from 246 starts.
Now, in the case of ‘one good turn deserves another,’ the Nicols have sent six-year-old Sportswriter gelding Post Game to Olivieri and his trainer wife Jemma Hayman.
The Victorian-bred Post Game was the $1.20 favourite from the No. 1 barrier for his WA debut in the Westral Meshlock Security Doors And Screens Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night when Chris Voak drove him to an all-the-way victory as he held on to beat the fast-finishing Cut And Run by a half-head, rating a smart 1.55.2 over the 1730m journey.
“Post Game is quirky at home, but he has given us the feel that he is a nice horse,” said Hayman. “I thought he could win, going 1.56. But he went much quicker.
“I think he is probably better racing with a sit. A lot of his better races in Victoria were when he raced with a sit.”
Olivieri said that Assassinator had done an amazing job in Adelaide. “Eventually, after racing here, the Nicols would like to race Post Game in Adelaide,” he said.
Post Game is the first foal out of the Bettors Delight mare Samantha Sparkle, who raced 98 times for 11 wins, 30 placings and $70,815 in stakes. Post Game now has had 33 starts for eight wins, 11 placings and $64,470.