HOBA WEST WINS HANNANS HANDICAP THRILLER

By Graham Potter | Thursday, October 1, 2026

The Kalgoorlie-Boulder Club’s Racing Carnival … the Race Round … stepped it up a gear yesterday with the running of the $150 000 Listed Tabtouch Hannans Handicap, where the result left punters reeling as the first four runners across the line started at $14, $31, $21 and $20 respectively … an outsider clean sweep.

The race went to the Summer Dickson trained Hoba West who outgunned the Neville Parnham trained Multinational in the final chase to the line, winning by 0.26 lengths under Austin Galati, with Without Reg claiming third place.

The merit of Hoba West’s win is underlined by the fact that the son of Epaulette carried 5kg more than both the second and third placed runners.

The seven-year-old came into the race fresh after a three month break from race action and he brought a fair level of form with him from his previous preparation. While unplaced in three of the four starts he tackled there, they did come in three Group 3 races and one Listed race (ranging in distance from 1400m to 2213m) where Hoba West went up against the likes of the decorated Western Empire (a fourteen-time winner).

Hoba West’s standout result in that last preparation was a second place, when only just touched off by Western Empire by the narrowest of margins in the Group 3 Hyperion Stakes over 1600m.

Anywhere near that form would have him good enough to salute in the Hannans Handicap and he duly did enough to claim his sixth career victory from twenty-five starts … with eight minor placings … but he had to work every inch of the way to secure the victory as Multinational, the winner of the race last year, gave everything in defence of his title, only going down in the shadow of the post after a stride for stride battle with Hoba West over the final 200m.

‘I’ve so relieved. I had a lot of confidence in this horse today,” said Summer Dickson post-race.

“I really believed he was the best horse in the race. I have got to give Austin (Galati) a lot of credit. I truly believe he is one of the best jockeys around."