Warrnambool's Layla Watson wins 70-metre final at Ballarat Gift

Watson won the 70-metre final at the Ballarat Gift on Saturday, a week after she saluted in the 400-metre final of the Beachside Gift.

Duynhoven said Watson, who won back-to-back Warrnambool Gifts in December, was running and training well.

"Her results in the 400 and 70-metre are just a reflection of her commitment to training and putting the hard work in," he said.

Duynhoven said the Warrnambool College student was a strong 400-metre runner but was improving on her shorter distance running.

"She's got the ability to have that speed endurance," he said. "That stands her in really good stead for the 400. She's got a really good base, and based on that, she's worked really hard to improve on her shorter distances as well, her 70 and the 100 metres. That's coming through as well."

The Duynhoven-Perry Sprinting stable enjoyed strong results across the two-day Ballarat Gift carnival, with Angus White, 15, winning his first sash in the under 18 120-metre final.

Duynhoven said White, who is in his second season with the stable, was coming along in leaps and bounds.

"He joined us last year just to work on speed and so forth," he said. "He had a couple runs last year and transitioned to this year. He is very much someone on the improve. He does the hard yards at training... now he's coming through and reaping the benefits."

Meanwhile, Hudson Downe, who has moved to Ballarat but trains via correspondence with DPS, won a restricted 400-metre final from the back marker, while Grace Kelly advanced to the final of the women's Gift to finish eighth.

Anna Kasapis and Richard Wade finished on the podium in the open mile while Josh McGlade, in his first season competing, ran second in a restricted 120m final.

Perry Watson and Oakly Davies finished second and third in under 14 boys 120m final, while Hannah McMeel ran second in the under 14 girls final.

Duynhoven said the cross-section of podium places was a reflection of his runners' hard work at training, and praised both the runners and their families for the commitment to large amounts of travel on the handicap racing scene.

Off the Inner Speed & Power stable, Chloe Burrows won the under-9-11 final.

Keilor Gift is next on the VAL calendar, held this Sunday, with Castlemaine Gift to follow on Sunday, February 26.

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