Glowing result for Melissa Harrison’s in-form sprinter

Denying a betting drift ($2.30 to $3.90) and handling a steep rise in class, the Melissa Harrison-trained Glowing Rapids recorded back-to-back wins at Narromine on Tuesday. 

The Forbes-trained galloper was coming off a dominant 2.58 length win in the 1100m Benchmark 50 Handicap at Bathurst on November 15. 

Heading to Narromine, the 5YO Valentia gelding was taking on a better field, contesting the 1100m Benchmark 66 Handicap.

Zoe Hunt was in the saddle for a 1.5kg claim, and the in-form apprentice took Glowing Rapids to the front with a sustained gallop from gate eight.

From there, the pair kicked away for a 1.69 length win, defeating the Kathryn Cahill-trained Violent and Blue (Dylan Stanley, $5) while stablemate of Glowing Rapids, Invasive (Donovan Dillon, $18) found the line strongly for third. 

Harrison was always confident that Glowing Rapids was capable of a strong showing at Narromine. 

“He’s been working super and doing everything right,” Harrison said.

“He deserved a go at this today after he won with authority in the (Benchmark) 50 (at Bathurst), and with a drop in weight, that was always going to help him even from the bad gate.”

A bold front-running type, Harrison looks to have a nice horse in Glowing Rapids, which has now started 19 times for three wins and four minor placings, while earning connections just shy of $70,000 in prizemoney. 

“He makes his own luck, and they’re the best kind of horses,” Harrison said. 

Hunt is riding well, winning nine of her past 50, including a double at Narromine on Tuesday. 

Before winning on Glowing Rapids, the apprentice teamed up with Clint Lundholm, winning on State Of Grace ($1.70) in the 1100m Maiden Handicap, drawing praise from many corners. 

“She’s going so well; she’s got stronger and is lovely and balanced,” Harrison said. 

“She does what she is asked, and we couldn’t ask for more; she’s doing a great job.”

Words: Jeff Hanson

Image: Racing Photography