Promising galloper Andamooka Gem continued his steady improvement and further enhanced his already impressive winning strike rate by easily winning the Watersearch Pty Ltd Rating 0-81 Handicap over 1500 metres at Gawler Wednesday.
Trained by leading South Australian trainer Mark Minervini, partnered by regular rider Adrian Patterson and owned by Jason and Martina Hammerstein, Andamooka Gem ($5 into $4 on track, and significantly better on all 3 totes) settled well back, as is his style, circled the field with ease and won with authority. A little extra rein at the 400 metre mark was all Andamooka Gem needed to make his charge to the front and he was able to win hands and heels by one and a half lengths from Adoptme Two ($2.80 fav).
Andamooka Gem has been a very consistent performer for the Minervini stable. Since joining the stable, Andamooka Gem has won 4 of 12 starts and never finished further back than sixth. Andamooka Gem has run a number of handy races in Saturday grade , without breaking through for a win at that level. However, he has developed the good habit of winning impressively upon being brought back to midweek/provincial grade. For this reason, followers of the Minervini stable were only too happy to snap up the luxurious odds on offer. It seems only a matter of time before the connections of Andamooka Gem taste Saturday success.