Supernatural sizzles home to claim 2025 Fitzpatrick Plate in Albany for Adam Durrant and William Pike

Trainer Adam Durrant’s love affair with Albany continued as he tasted feature race success with champion jockey William Pike on Sunday. Durrant has a rich history in the Albany Cup and rising sprinter Supernatural gave his stable a third win in the $125,000 TABtouch Fitzpatrick Plate (1230m) at Percy Spencer Racecourse. Supernatural was well supported in betting with Pike aboard, jumping a $2.45 favourite in the sprint feature, and the pair let rip down the outside in the final 300m to rocket home over the top of local hope Wineaclocksumwhere. The Samantha Faithfull-trained and Tash Faithfull ridden Wineaclocksumwhere ($5.50) took some running down in the dying stages but Pike came with a perfectly timed run, swooping late to win by nearly a length over Charino. Charino ($3.10) was the other fancy in betting for trainer Brett Pope and jockey Lucy Fiore, also finishing strongly but there was no stopping the Durrant-Pike genius as they again took home top spoils in Albany. Wineaclocksumwhere was very brave in defeat for the Faithfulls, beaten less than a length in third spot while last year’s Fitzpatrick Plate winner Playing Rio was also charging home late along the inside to grab fourth ahead of $101 chance Avoidance. The win has set up Supernatural with a crack at a Great Southern sprint double, trying to emulate the same feat her brother Supersession achieved. “Supernatural has pulled up really good and will tackle the Mt Barker Sprint in two weeks,” Durrant said. “Big credit to the ownership syndicate who bred this mare and her brother Supersession from top mare Talk Of Angels.” The four-year-old was racing second-up after finishing second in the Epona Classic in late December and now heads to the $100,000 Mt Barker Sprint (1300m) on January 18. Durrant trained $660,000 earner Supersession to win the Fitzpatrick Plate-Mt Barker Sprint double two years ago. The Fitzpatrick Plate success as Supernatural’s biggest win of his career to date, having now won five races and earned more than $400,000. Pike made the rare trip to Albany, on the back of his Perth Cup heroics with Apulia to win the $1m feature race on New Year’s Day. “William rarely rides at Albany, but has a good association with the Durrant stable and is happy to stay on Supernatural,” Pike’s racing manager Dale Verhagen said. “She has more wins in store.” Jockey Shaun McGruddy was reprimanded for careless riding in the main race, after allowing Avoidance to shift ground inwards when not clear to do so near the 800m and resulting in varying degrees of interference to two runners.