SPORT: Harness Racing with Len Baker
Comment
• Harness Racing Victoria would have been completely demoralised by the disgraceful performance of Sky Channel’s coverage of Terang with most races shafted to Sky 2 and on many occasions being shown on a split screen with Newcastle taking the audio while Queensland gallops on Sky 1 continued to be running late.
Even the Terang Cup had to contend with this. This is another reason why the Victorian product is down on wagering. As mentioned before: lift your game Sky.
This Week
• Meetings for the week : Tuesday – Shepparton, Wednesday – Stawell/Bendigo, Thursday – Ballarat, Friday – Geelong, Saturday – Melton, Sunday – Cranbourne, Monday – Swan Hill.
Hot Conditions At Shepparton
• Shepparton’s regular Tuesday night fixture was held on February 11 which attracted only seven races in very hot conditions and Oakleigh South based trainer Alan Ratnashingham who loves his harness racing was successful with 7Y0 rock N Roll Heaven-Breenys Lady gelding Illawong Danny in the Darryn Rowney Pace over 1690 metres.
Having start number 96, Illawong Danny driven by Ellen Tormey possied three back in the running line from gate two on the second line as Sophies Scooter flew away from gate four to lead.
Going forward three wide solo in the last lap, Illawong Danny outstayed his rivals to record a strong neck margin over Harley Blue four pegs from inside the second line – three wide double trail last lap, with Sophies Scooter after kicking away prior to the home turn running out of puff halfway up the straight holding third 1.2 metres away. The mile rate 1-56.2.
n Mount Cottrell trainer Jeremy Quinlan combined with Bunbartha’s Matt Newberry to land the Ben Gledhill Pace over 1690 metres with 8Y0 Shadow Play-Riverside Oaked gelding Our Cheeky Devil who loves racing at Shepparton. Settling three back in the moving line from gate five as polemarker Mussel Shoals led before handing over to Madam Reactor (gate three), Our Cheeky Devil gained a lovely three wide trail home in the last lap on the back of Momentum Shift (one/one from the extreme draw – three wide last lap) to blouse him by 3.7 metres in a rate of 1-56.5. Art Of Fire (four pegs – wide last lap) was third a nose away.
• Torrumbarry part-owner/ trainer Faye McEwan always turns her horses out looking an absolute picture and honest 7Y0 Skyvalley-Misty Elle gelding Watch And Act appreciated a drop back in grade when winning the 2190 metre Isabel Walsh Trotters Handicap.
With Chris Alford in the sulky, Watch And Act settled three back along the markers from 10 metres after Yankee Lover (10m) began fast to head off polemarker Tedesco.
Angling to be one/one in the last lap, Watch And Act after moving three wide on the final bend finished best to prevail by 2.2 metres from a gutsy Antonov (10m) which raced exposed for most of the trip. Tedesco was third a nose away after flashing late. The mile rate 2-03.4.
• Byrnside duo Laura and Damian Wilson snared a double on the night with 3Y0 Lather Up-Chiquita Bromac gelding Calexico taking the 1690 metre David Moran Pace and 8Y0 Danny Bouchea-No Dispute mare Settle The Bill the Trevor Muir Farrier Trotters Mobile over 1690 metres.
Calexico despite racing uncovered from outside the front line outstayed his rivals to defeat the poleline pacemaker On The Hunt by 1.6 metres which had every opportunity, with Good Tobe Locksley (one/one – three wide home turn) third 7.3 metres back third. The mile rate 1-55.1.
Settle The Bill (one/two from outside the front line) after going four wide on the final bend bloused the leader Montana Muscle who had it easy going down by 2.1 metres in 2-00.5. In form mare Abbie (one/one – three wide home turn from gate four) was third a head away.
At Maryborough
• Maryborough held the first of two meetings for the week on Wednesday prior to the Need For Speed fixture on Friday and on an interesting day’s racing the first two year old event of the season went to Haddon part-owner/trainer Damian Burns’ Warrawee Needy-Princess Dilinger colt Maxo Mighty.
Driven by Damien, Maxo Mighty in a disappointing field of four enjoyed a cosy passage on the back of the poleline leader Soho Washington until the home turn and after coming away from the markers, raced away to score by 14.8 metres untouched. Soho Washington easily held third 41.8 metres away. The mile rate 1-55.7.
• Sutton Grange trainer/driver Ross Graham is rarely seen in the cart these days using professionals James Herbertson and Chris Alford mainly, however Ross elected to drive 5Y0 Used To Me-Sister Of Sonoko gelding Against The Bridle bred and raced by twin brother Leigh to victory in the Peter Egan Bi-Rite Electrical Trotters Mobile over 2190 metres. Trapped three wide from outside the front line, Against The Bridle went forward to park outside the pacemaker Jessicas Story which led from gate five before applying pressure prior to the bell to lead for the final lap and winning easily by 10.5 metres in a rate of 2-01.2 from Jessicas Story which ran her usual honest race.
Champagnes (one/two – three wide last lap) switched to the sprint lane on turning for third 16.5 metres away.
• Moyreisk’s Ainsworth family enjoyed a profitable day winning a double on the program – 8Y0 Peak-Drop Us A Line mare Baarlinee taking the 1690 metre Aldebaran Park Trotters Mobile and 8Y0 Bgs Folly-Farnsworth mare My Darling Dancer the Redpath Tyre and Battery Service Pace over the same distance both driven by Ashley.
Baarlinee trained by father Barry for wife Katrina exploded away from gate six to run her rivals ragged, defeating Majestic Ga Ga which had moved to be one/one from gate four on the second line and chased hard on turning to go down by 7.3 metres in 1-58.1.
Charlie Walker after trailing the winner did all the chasing in the last lap to finish third a neck away.
My Darling Dancer raced by Ashley followed the poleline leader El Awoman from inside the second line before being pushed back a spot when Celestial Daybreak came with a rush from mid-field to lead at the bell.
Getting clear in plenty of time to move outside Celestial Daybreak on the home turn, My Darling Dancer did best to register a head margin over Celestial Daybreak which defied his age returning a mile rate of 1-56.4. Muriel (three wide last lap from mid-field) was third 2.1 metres away.
9 events at K’more
• Kilmore was Thursday’s fixture with a nine event card highlighted by 85-year-old Whittlesea octogenarian co-owner/trainer Charlie Farrugia and grandson driver Darren Zahra’s 5Y0 home bred and raced 6Y0 Lincoln Royal-Mind Dancer gelding Royal Edard in the 1690 metre Carlton and United Breweries Pace.
Enjoying a sweet passage from gate four trailing Pinnacle Hope which led from outside the front line, Royal Edard after angling away from the markers on turning was too strong over the concluding stages for the pacemaker, scoring by 1.7 metres in a mile rate of 1-58.6.
Home And Dry (one/two) was third 4.3 metres back. It was Royal Edard’s first success since winning at Gunbower in December 2023.
• Sutton Grange breeder/owner/trainer Clive Henderson’s 5Y0 Sportswriter-Dance Of Fire gelding Edwarde Grange chalked up his seventh success at start 42 when greeting the judge in the C & M Build Group Pace over 1690 metres. Driven by ‘ace’ reinsman James Herbertson, Edwarde Grange (gate three) possied behind the leader Cheerstolou which burnt across the face of the field from gate five before being relegated to three pegs after My Way in the open from gate two assumed control.
Moving to be one/one approaching the home turn, Edwarde Grange finished his race off well after angling wide in the straight to record a 2.5 metre margin over Nakula (four wide last lap from the tail), with Ozzie Sunshine which raced exposed from outside the front line narrowly taking over on the home turn and battling away strongly for third 5.1 metres away. The mile rate a slick 1-54.
• The Beraldo Coffee 3Y0 Maiden Pace over 1690 metres saw Bettors Delight-Ghadas Delight gelding The Wise Guy victorious when making his race debut.
Trained at Murchison North by Shane Sanderson and driven by son Ryan, The Wise Guy settled one/one from gate three on the second line as Fifty Seven Chevy went like one to lead from outside the front line giving his rivals something to chase for local Monique Burnett. Dropping to trail the leader in the last lap, The Wise Guy ran home stylishly to prevail by six metres in a rate of 1-56.6 from Fifty Seven Chevy who’s win is not too far off. Raging hot favourite Apollo Storm which galloped in the first lap when three back in the moving line and tailing out made up many yards for third 13.1 metres away.
• The O’Brien Electrical Pace over 2180 metres went the way of Cranbourne trainer/driver Scott Ewen’s 7Y0 mare Blazin Heaven, a daughter of Rock N Roll Heaven and Good Girl Becqui who chalked up her 14th success in 112 outings, returning a mile rate of 2-01.
Beginning fast from gate four along with Monsieur Flamel inside her leading momentarily, Blazin Heaven was able to cross and lead turning into the back straight on the first occasion and held too many guns for Monsieur Flamel along the sprint lane by 2.1 metres which was given every opportunity to run her down.
Direct Command after being eased to the tail from outside the front line went forward mid-race to park outside the winner and battled on gamely for third 3.1 metres away.
• Kialla owner/trainer Mitchell Frost used the services of co-Kialla based Tasmyn Potter to land the 2180 metre TAB & Older Maiden Pace aboard cleverly named 4Y0 Vincent-Come Dance With Me mare Savoy Ballroom.
Racing roughly from gate two as the start was effected, Savoy Ballroom settled three back in the moving line with Muselet (gate four) leading from Here Comes Lenny (gate five) and With In Reason easing away from inside the second line to possie one/two.
Set alight mid-race with a great turn of speed to lead approaching the bell, Savoy Ballroom couldn’t be caught to run out a 5.1 metre victor over Muselet and With In Reason who was 1.5 metres away in third place. The mile rate 2-01.6.
Revved up
• Congratulations were in order when Heathcote father and son Jim and Sean O’Sullivan combined to land the 1690 metre Lyn McPherson Memorial Need For Speed Silver Series (2nd Heat) for Trotters at Maryborough on Friday with 71 race start 8Y0 Muscle Hill-Lunar Landing mare Illawong Stardust.
Not having much luck in recent outings, Illawong Stardust dropping back a mile in grade was sent forward by Sean from gate six to cross Salski (gate three) without spending too much petrol and once there the race was as good as over.
Revved up in the straight, Illawong Stardust bred by the late Martin Hartnett and racing in the name of his daughter Kristen safely held a margin to the wire, scoring by 5 metres from Salski who always looked like doing so. Polemarker Izarra (three pegs) held third 13.4 metres away. The mile rate 1-58.4.
• Great Western trainer/driver Michelle Wight caused an upset in the VSTA Trotters Mobile when 4Y0 Skyvalley-Francis Annie gelding Maximez greeted the judge at odds of $21.00. Bred and raced by Michelle and husband Craig, Maximez settled mid-field in the moving line from gate two on the second line as Rocky Valley from outside the front line crossed Astro (gate two) to pilot the field, with polemarker Bullapark Beno coming away from the markers to race uncovered.
Asked for an effort in the last lap, Maximez sprinted brilliantly to defeat Boutika along the sprint lane from four pegs, with Rocky Valley holding third 1.2 metres back. The mile rate 2-02.
Great second
• It was the ($30,000) Terang Co-Op Pacing Cup night on Friday supplemented by the ($20,000) Matthews Petroleum Terang Trotting Cup (both Classic Listed) on Friday and both odds-on favourites Don’t Stop Dreaming and Keayang Chucky were victorious over the 2680 metre journey.
Don’t Stop Dreaming coming off a great second to champion Leap To Fame in the Cranbourne Cup a week earlier was too tough. Driven by Kate Gath, Don’t Stop Dreaming listed as being trained by Mark & Nathan Purdon with Brooke Wilkins in charge settled at the rear from the extreme draw with Exotic Bushranger and Michael Stanley leading from gate four.
Going forward mid-race to join the leader racing for the bell, Don’t Stop Dreaming had too much quality for his rivals, winning by 3.6 metres in a mile rate of 1-57.4 (last half 54.8 – quarter 27.6) from Keayang Tokyo (gate five – one/two – three wide to race exposed momentarily before taking a trail on Don’t Stop Dreaming) and switching to the sprint lane on turning for a great second when first up since last September. Stablemate Jilliby Nitro (always handy from gate six) was third a neck away.
• The Trotters Cup was easy for Marg and Paddy Lee when 6Y0 Love You-The Sun Goddess gelding Keayang Chucky toyed with his rivals.
Coming from a 30 metre back mark made little difference to Keayang Chucky who after settling at the tail of the field moved to be three back in the running line racing for the bell as both Aldebaran Vera (four pegs) and Plymouth Chubb (6 pegs) eased away from the markers. When Aldebaran Vera took care of the leader Jazspur prior to the home turn with Plymouth Chubb and Keayang Chucky in hot pursuit, Keayang Chucky out wide on straightening ran home strongly to greet the judge unextended by 4.3 metres over Aldebaran Vera which ran the race of her life. Plymouth Chubb was third 1.7 metres away and will improve vastly on that effort his first since December. The mile rate 2-01.7 (half 57.8 – quarter 29.2).
Len Baker