Kate Southam guided Counter Diver to win the annual Harding Cup at the Nor West Jockey Club

Jockey Kate Southam guided Counter Diver to a dominant victory in the annual Harding Cup at the Nor West Jockey Club last weekend. The cup is a highlight of the race calendar and a big crowd flocked to the historic Roebourne racecourse on Saturday. Southam never seemed in danger during the 1400m race, with the five-year-old Natalie Burke-trained gelding storming to a 11/2-length victory over Sixpence Spent, with the Tom Pike-trained Weld rounding out the top three. It marked the first victory at Roebourne for Counter Diver who came into the weekend’s race in some good form. In the 1800m Pilbara Handicap, Pike’s War Ksar continued his winning ways, taking out the Pilbara Handicap by 3.3 lengths. Southam rode eight-year-old Montagna to second place in the handicap with Plead The Fifth coming in third. Pike’s day got off to a fast start with filly Can'tcatchthis taking out the first race of the day, an 1100m maiden, by 31/2 lengths, followed by Snow Princess and Automatic. Race two, an 1100m handicap, featured a close finish with less then one length separating Tumut River and I Hope You Dance. The Pike-trained Articulator was first in the 1600m handicap, beating Flirty Friars by half a length while Amber Highway came home in third. The Roebourne race season will conclude on July 24 with the Roebourne Cup.