Impressive maiden galloper God Has Drifted continues strong Great Southern season for trainer Paul Hunter

Albany trainer Paul Hunter’s strong Great Southern season continued when God Has Drifted scored an impressive maiden win in Mt Barker on Friday. Hunter moved to five victories in the Great Southern in 2024-25 after God Has Drifted ($6) charged home to score in the Mt Barker Hotels Maiden (1200m). With Jason Whiting aboard, the four-year-old gelding settled midfield in running but proved too strong in the final 200m to beat Le Beau ($4.20) by a length while Bottle O’Red ($6.50) was third. God Has Drifted put the writing on the wall with a third placing behind Later Alligator in Albany on January 31, with Later Alligator going on to score a strong class one win in Bunbury soon after. Hunter sits fifth in the Great Southern Trainers Premiership standings, with Steve Wolfe on top with nine wins. Rebecca Bayliss and Indianna Weinert are next with seven each while Samantha Faithfull is fourth on six. It was a winning week for Hunter, his success at Mt Barker followed up by claiming the Peter Miguel Memorial Trophy with Helluva Goddess on Sunday. Helluva Goddess, ridden by Whiting, was slow to begin and came from fifth on the turn to win by a neck over Don’t Trust Judas in the $30,000 feature race over 1300m. Jockey Alex Hearn rode a winning double at the meeting, which was moved to Mt Barker Turf Club after racing in Albany was suspended by Racing WA. Hearn booted home Willpower to victory in the opening race over before My Lovely Pet was too strong for his rivals in race four. Willpower ($10) was first-up after a spell and having his eighth career start for Warwick Bradshaw but sprinted clear in the home straight to score a slashing 2.8-length win. My Lovely Pet, who finished second at his previous start in Mt Barker, was well supported into a $1.75 favourite and got over the top of Oscar Charlie ($2.70) and Elsa’s Pride ($13) to win by a half-length for trainer Bronwyn Mathieson. Red-hot galloper Flick The Switch continued her brilliant season, making it four wins in a row and five in the Great Southern this season. The Samantha Faithfull-trained mare won by more than a length in the Mt Barker Rural Services Handicap (1100m), expertly ridden by Tash Faithfull. Flick The Switch was sent around at the short $1.75 odds and sat behind the leader Morgs Freeman before peeling out to the middle of the track and winning comfortably. Albany trainer Jonathon Jachmann tasted success with Aramat in race five over 1300m and Cousin Ivan handed victory in the final race to trainer Annette Crump and hoop Austin Galati. Pure Chino ($14) caused an upset in the Turf Club Volunteers Handicap (1850m) for Weinert and jockey Madi Derrick, winning by more than a length over Annihilator while $2.60 favourite Beautiful Baroque plugged away with 60kg and finished third. Albany Racing Club will return to action on Friday with a seven-race card, starting at 2.07pm.