Racing: Battle Emblem needs barrier luck

The Grant Williams-Bob Peters juggernaut is set to continue this week when champion filly Dreamaway runs in Saturday’s WA Derby and stablemate Battle Emblem’s a likely starter in Sunday’s Pinjarra Cup.

Battle Emblem, a Second Empire gelding who entered the Williams stable earlier this year, looms as a leading contender on the back of two eye-catching performances since resuming from a spell.

His first-up effort in the AHA Cup was impressive when after settling near last he powered to the line to be placed fourth behind stablemate Significant.

He again did his best work late and on the heels of runners in the Bunbury Cup when he was fourth to Street Value.

Williams is quietly confident.

‘‘His work since the Bunbury Cup has been fine and I can’t fault him since that run,’’ he said.

‘‘If we can draw a decent barrier, I would go into the race with renewed confidence.’’

Last Saturday at Ascot was a big day for the Karnup-based trainer, who prepared a career-best four winners on the program, including the Group 3WA Oaks with Dreamaway.

Other winners included Avante, Moonbound and the talented New Image, who has made a tremendous return to racing.

Fellow Karnup trainer Adam Durrant will be out to score his third Pinjarra Cup win in the space of four years if he decides to press ahead with underrated stayer Double Barrel.

Durrant won the listed feature in successive years when Lords Ransom and Star Encounter proved too strong for rivals in 2008 and 2009.

Double Barrel proved he was up to the challenge when he ran a narrow second to Street Value in the Bunbury Cup.