Northern Victorian trainers and drivers continued their successful recent raids on feature Melton events last Saturday night.
Picture: Stuart McCormick
Champion effort: Fabrication, driven by Nathan Jack, sprints home to win the Australasian Trotting Championship on Saturday night.
Tatura trainer David Abrahams had his biggest payday for some time when he claimed the $50 000 Group One Australasian Trotting Championship with six-year-old gelding Fabrication.
Having his 50th start and given every chance by Shepparton reinsman Nathan Jack, Fabrication scored his most significant win since winning the Vicbred Super Series for three-year-old colts and geldings.
His latest win was his 15th and boosted his prize money earnings to more than $183 000.
Fabrication goes around again tonight in the Group Three John Slack Memorial Trotters Cup at Ballarat.
Euroa horseman David Jack’s stellar season continued at Melton when his gifted youngster Moreton Bay led from pillar to post in the Group One $50 000 Vicbred Platinum Home Grown Series for two-year-old trotting colts and geldings.
A son of Majestic Son, Moreton Bay was having his fifth start, which have produced three wins and two third placings for more than $35 000 in prize money.
Jack said after the win his horse had the right mindset and ability to make his mark on the race.
Moreton Bay is out of a dual gaited family which dates back to one of Australia’s best trotters By Johnny, an Inter Dominion winner.
Elmore horseman Keith Cotchin also enjoyed a significant win with the exciting youngster Betternbetter.
A hot favourite and driven by Greg Sugars, Betternbetter was too good for his rivals in the Group Two $50 000 Home Grown Classic for two-year-old pacing colts and geldings.
Bred by Denis Pangrazio, Betternbetter is building an impressive record with four wins and a third from his five starts.
Castles backs Pink
Ardmona horsewoman Donna Castles is small in stature, but big in heart and determination.
And when ‘‘Sissy’’, as she is known, says the McGrath Foundation trots meeting — titled the Community Pink Ladies Day — at Cobram on Sunday next week can top last year’s amazing $20 000 for the foundation, you take note.
This will be the eighth running of the day and Castles, who has had her own personal battles with the potential killer disease, has gained sponsors and raffle ticket sellers from across the country to make sure the day is again a massive success.
Racking up victories
Three district-trained pacers completed successive wins and one pulled off a hat-trick of triumphs last week at Shepparton.
Shepparton trainer Ross Pyke made it three in a row with his impressive pacer Code Bailey, who had won his previous starts at Shepparton on April 28 and at Melton on May 16.
This time it was concession reinsman Brad Chisholm taking the reins from Lisa Bartley who had been on the three-year-old Christian Cullen colt at his previous two wins.
Another Shepparton trainer, Ross McKellar, also made it two from two with his ever-improving pacer Crookwell Jake.
Crookwell Jake had won at the previous week’s meeting on the track and has won four races with two minor placings since McKellar took over the training of the four-year-old Rock N Roll Heaven gelding 13 starts ago.
Pacing mare Rosas First who had enjoyed a win at Cobram on May 3 repeated the dose at Shepparton with an upset win at big odds for Merrigum trainer Simon Turnbull.
The Ponder five-year-old has accepted every challenge Turnbull has put to her and has had just 11 starts for three wins and four minor placings.
Mick does Nik trick
Echuca trainers were well to the fore last week at Shepparton.
Mick McMahon pulled off a notable training feat in winning with five-year-old Dallas Nikolay in the gelding’s first outing since November.
The win also broke a run of 17 starts without a victory, but this did not deter punters who sent the son of Art Official out a $2.40 favourite in the 2190 m C1 only pace.
Rob Caldwell was the other Echuca trainer to savour success at the meeting when he found the right race for I Its Me, a five-year-old gelding by It Is I, who notched his first win at his 30th try, which included six minor placings.
Hay the Way to go
Shepparton trainers Dave Farrar and Steve O’Donoghue were other district mentors in the winner’s circle last week at Shepparton.
Farrar got the cash with Hayjoshandco and O’Donoghue produced the promising Wayonbye for a win at his second start.
Hayjoshandco was driven to victory by Damian Wilson in C1 Only class race.
The six-year-old son of Grinfromeartoear had put the writing on the wall for a coming win with a second placing at the May 8 meeting at Wagga at his previous start.
In a good betting race Hayjoshandco paid nicely on the tote at $7.20.
The win took his record to six wins and 14 placings and more than $30 000 in prize money.
The O’Donoghue-trained and Bec Bartley-driven Wayonbye showed he was a bit smarter than average when second on debut at Shepparton on April 28 to the talented Keith Cotchin-trained Brackenreid.
A three-year-old son of Mach Three, Wayonbye zipped over the 1690 m in 1:55.6 mile rate time for his maiden win in what was easily the quickest run on the card for that distance, which further suggests he has a lot going for him.
Phirey sparks up
Most trainers get satisfaction out of any win, but Kyabram’s Mick Blackmore was a contented man after pacing mare Phirey Philtra won last Friday night at Bendigo.
Phirey Philtra had left the Blackmore stable a few months ago to try for some easier pickings in Tasmania, but lost the plot on that excursion and had a ban placed on her.
Owners Phil and Tracey Wade then entrusted Blackmore to try and get her back racing and last Friday night the Courage Under Fire mare did everything right and clocked a PB 1:56.3 mile rate in recording her fifth win.
It was only her second race back from returning from the Apple Isle, but when she was supported from 16-1 to 5-2 the week before and, missed the place, it suggested Blackmore was winning the battle again with the five-year-old.
Another district winner at Bendigo was Patrick Ryan who scored with the Sheron Park-owned trotter Allthemoves.
Allthemoves, a three-year-old daughter of Muscles Yankee, had shown plenty of ability with eight minor placings, including six seconds, from 14 starts leading into the Bendigo triumph.
A royal winning
Deniliquin trainer Wayne Gretgrix certainly deserved his win with Poppys Princess on Sunday at Swan Hill.
Leading into the C1-C2 class event Poppys Princess had clocked up three thirds and two fourths, so a win was very much on the cards
Because of her consistent form she was sent out the $3.20 second favourite and had her head out on the finishing line to account for Parisian Ruler and Atomic Warlord in a busy finish.
Also enjoying a well-deserved win at the meeting was Nathalia horseman Noel Tyndall who scored with Crocodile Kid.
Crocodile Kid had not finished further back than fourth at his previous six starts and didn’t let his punting admirers, who supported him to a $2.70 favourite, down.
Bob back with bang
Veteran pacer Yerrington Bob obviously likes the Merrigum air.
Back from six unplaced runs on NSW tracks and again under his original trainer Brett Bunfield, the eightyear-old Modern Art gelding showed there is plenty of life in those ageing rising nine-year-old legs to notch his 18th win at start number 145.
It was also a successful reunion with leading reinsman Gavin Lang, who had enjoyed success on the pacer previously.
It’s not the only time Yerrington Bob has returned to the stables of Bunfield who has had the happy knack of reigniting his racing career.
Locals clean up
Shepparton’s meeting on Wednesday night was dominated by district trainers.
Those locals to enjoy success were Laura Crossland (Seeuinnashville $1.60 fav), Geoff Martin (Major Wish $15.40), Mark Lee (Rebellin Ruby, $8.80), Russell Thomson (Letsrockletsroll, $3.10 ), Brian Bourke (Starlight Storm, $7.10), Mick Blackmore (Jackson Square $2.20) and Craig Turnbull (Im Joey Jones, $2.70).
More about these wins next week.
