It was an all-Perth Kingston Town Classic 2017 trifecta at Ascot Racecourse over the weekend with the Alan Mathews-trained local roughie Pounamu scoring an upset win in the final Group 1 of the year down under.

Black Heart Bart (pictured at Eagle Farm) suffered early interference and ran a distant ninth in the 2017 Kingston Town Classic results in WA. Photo: Daniel Costello.

A six-time Perth Cup winning horseman, Mathews finally broke through with an elite level success thanks to the perfectly-timed performance of his six-year-old grey Pounamu in the Group 1 $1 million Kingston Town Classic (1800m).

Formerly raced in Sydney and owned by John Thompson, the son of Authorized was patiently ridden to victory by Mathews’ regular rider Patrick Carbery as a $21 outsider in Kingston Town Classic betting.

“We’ve won heaps of races together and he’s always stuck solid,” Carbery told The West Australian, the hoop speaking of his long-term association with Mathews.

“I’ve always preached that he sticks solid with me for 22-plus years and you don’t hear of that anywhere ever.

“To win a Group 1 race for Alan and Les and the team, it means more to me because of that.”

Pounamu had earlier enjoyed a first-up win on November 4 at the track in the Group 3 Asian Beau Stakes (1400m) before the close sixth when under two lengths beaten by another roughie local saluting at elite level this Perth Summer Racing Carnival, Great Shot, in the Group 1 Railway Stakes (1600m).

Over the weekend, Pounamu jumped from gate eight and Carbery allowed him to settle near the back of the pack before storming home from 11^th on the turn to beat fellow WA-trained runners Material Man (2^nd) and Achernar Star (3^rd).

“He was just in the zone,” Carbery added.

“He got a bit further back than I wanted but he doesn’t like being hustled and bustled.

“He just towed me into the race. I guess his form turnaround is because the way we now train him and he’s just so happy and the results speak for themselves.”

The best over the line in the Kingston Town Classic results from the interstate contingent was the James Cummings-trained It’s Somewhat who ran two lengths back fifth, one behind the WA Guineas winning filly Perfect Jewel who rounded out the First Four.

Darren Weir’s beaten favourite Black Heart Bart meanwhile was badly checked at the 200m after jumping from barrier one and only managed to run five and a quarter-lengths back ninth.

Pounamu became the longest-priced Kingston Town Classic winner since Playing God who saluted at 20/1 for his second in 2011.

Perth Cups’ King Mathews said everything had gone exactly to plan for Pounamu this prep, but that the horse was likely now ruled out weight-wise from a shot at the Group 2 $500,000 Perth Cup (2400m) on New Year’s Day.

“He came here and won a couple of races and then was the biggest bridesmaid in WA,” Mathews said.

“We always said he had the ability, but he just wouldn’t have the concentration span to get his head around doing it at the right time.

“We set this horse for the race – second-up into the Railway, third-up into this and it’s all gone to plan.

“The last Perth Cup was I think 2004 and 13 years have gone past and you’re getting older and we can’t do what we used to, but this is just great.”

See below for the full Kingston Town Classic 2017 results before heading to Ladbrokes.com.au for the latest summer racing odds online this holiday season.

2017 Kingston Town Classic Results & Finishing Order

Ascot Race 8 – 09/12/2017