Compelling Truth chasing a rare feat at Wagga Wagga meeting

One of the most dynamic country-based sprinters in Australia is out to take his winning strike rate to 50 per cent from 22 starts when he tackles the feature sprint at Wagga Wagga on Thursday.

Compelling Truth, a high-class and on-speed five-year-old son of I Am Invincible in the Mack Griffith camp at Mudgee, got back to winning ways 26 days ago at Eagle Farm by finishing best in an Open Handicap over 1200m on soft ground.

That was his first win since claiming the Panorama at Bathurst last September, although he had no luck from a wide draw in the Kosciuszko at Randwick four weeks later.

That was enough to send Compelling Truth to the paddock for a break before he trialled twice and headed north for a three-race campaign in Brisbane.

Placed in his first two efforts when leading over 1000m, he didn’t quite reproduce that same sectional dominance, although taking a sit next start over a furlong further proved beneficial, sweeping over the top late.

Bailey Wheeler keeps the ride and becomes the first jockey to stay aboard for consecutive races since Jake Pracey-Holmes in the middle of last year.

Earlier in his career, Compelling Truth cut a swathe through NSW country racing. From January, 2023 through to September of last year, he won nine races from just 14 starts up to BM 86 level. Five of those were by more than five lengths.

In what is a wide and strong renewal of Thursday’s Wagga Town Plate (1200m), Compelling Truth opened on the top line of betting around $5.50 ahead of high class four-year-old sprinters The Instructor who won a Listed feature at Mornington last start, and promising Rosehill-based four-year-old Celui, both opening around $6.50.