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Shepparton News 15-06-18

Another one to Cross off

LOCHINVAR ART DELIVERS CROSSLAND FEATURE SUCCESS AT MELTON TO CONTINUE STABLE’S HOT SEASON

Shepparton horsewoman Laura Crossland’s big season continued when highly promising youngster Lochinvar Art claimed the Benstud Youthful Stakes at Melton last Friday night.

Let the good times roll: Shepparton horsewoman Laura Crossland has 42 wins for the season to be in the top 10 in the Victorian trainers premiership.

In yet another feature race win of late for Goulburn Valley trainers and drivers, the Crossland-trained Lochinvar Art stormed over the more fancied Four Big Men and Im Sir Blake near the finishing line in a perfect David Moran drive.

Moran had given Lochinvar Art, a $5 chance on the tote, the box seat one-out-oneback position in the run.

After looking at the nominations, Crossland decided to race Lochinvar Art at Melton in preference to giving the gelding a trial in preparation for tomorrow night’s Alabar Breeders Challenge semi-finals at Menangle, where he has drawn ideally in barrier three in his semi.

The only foal to race from the Ponder mare Ponder In Paris, a winner of four of her 11 starts, Lochinvar Art has had just five career starts for three wins and two placings.

Lochinvar Art’s win and the win of Tiger Courage at Bendigo last Saturday night has taken Crossland’s number of wins for the season to 42 and has her sitting in the top 10 on the Victorian trainers premiership.

Bendigo bonanza

The Laura Crossland-David Moran team along with Girgarre trainer Greg Lewis f lew the f lag for Goulburn Valley trainers at Bendigo last Saturday night.

Crossland produced two-year-old pacer Tiger Courage for a win at his fourth start.

Tiger Courage was driven a perfect race by Moran and although drifting out turning for home, finished powerfully to reel in his rivals in 1:59.4 mile rate time for the 2150 m trip.

Greg Lewis also notched a win at Bendigo with two-year-old trotter Walkabout Sunrise, a 32-1 shot on the tote.

Well driven by Ben Gledhill, Walkbout Sunrise raced near the pace and upset the favourite Dream Mastar, who had its chance to run down the winner in the home straight.

A son of Majestic Son, Walkabout Sunrise is the first foal out of the Yankee Paco mare Sophie Paco.

He had a start at Menangle before moving to the Lewis stables and was third at Maryborough in his only other outing for Lewis before his Bendigo run.

Long trip worth it

It is a long trip to Cranbourne, particular at this chilly time of the year, but two Goulburn Valley horsemen made it worthwhile last week.

Shepparton’s Nathan Jack drove two winners at the six-race meeting, with Tatura trainer-driver Tony Baressi training and driving a winner.

Jack partnered the Dean Braun-trained three-year-old Duplicated to a track recordbreaking win and also won on the Jayne Davies-trained British General, who paid $7 for the win. Duplicated was a $1.04 chance. In a runaway win, he beat the runner-up Celestial Trekker by more than 34 m in 1:55.8 mile rate time, which bettered the former record of 1:55.9 Mach Wiper set in 2011.

Baressi won with smart trotter Bad Boy Jay Jay, who led throughout as the $2 favourite.

A five-year-old by Bad Boy Truscott, Bad Boy Jay Jay has had 20 starts for three wins and six minor placings.

Locals claim cups

District trainers claimed the two feature races at Mooroopna Harness Racing Club’s successful cup meeting at Shepparton on Sunday night.

Kialla trainer Isabel Walsh landed the pacing cup with Bettor Ops and Kyabram’s Peter Shellie secured the trotters cup with Andyou.

Driven by Mark Pitt, Bettor Ops, who was making his Victorian debut and backed into a $1.40 favourite, led for the 2190 m trip to defeat Chrissy Divinyl and the John Newberry-trained and driven roughie Village Encounter.

Bettor Ops did his early racing in New Zealand and won his first three starts there. He also scored first-up in his Australian debut at Menangle last September, but had been winless in 15 starts since until Sunday night.

Andyou came off a 30 m handicap, but still proved far too good for his rivals in the trotters cup.

Driver Ellen Tormey was able to work the son or Majestic Son into a midfield position for most of the trip and he had more than 10 m to spare on the runner-up On Fast Forward at the finishing post.

Andyou was having just his third start in this campaign and has won seven races with six minor placings from 21 starts.

Marto’s Major boilover

Geoff Martin’s happy — not to mention, profitable — knack of producing long-priced winners was illustrated again at last Sunday’s Mooroopna Cup meeting.

The Shepparton horseman produced Major Wish for a win in the opening event for C1 only class pacers to deliver a knockout to most early quaddie punters.

Major Wish was close to a 40-1 chance on the tote, but did not run like one, coming with a strong finishing burst to lower the colours of the odds-on favourite, Loveisamyth.

It was a surprisingly generous price given the pacer had won on the same track at his previous start when a 15-1 shot.

But it is a safe bet the man they call ‘‘Marto’’ did not mind one little bit.

Maggs bags winner

The Cameron Maggs juggernaut continued at the Mooroopna meeting when the Euroa horseman claimed the three-year-old race.

After a big week the previous week, including a training and driving double at Wagga, Maggs got the money at Shepparton with Marchello Gold.

By the Presidential Ball stallion and former star pacer Maffioso, Marchello Gold chalked up his maiden win after 19 tries. But his slick mile rate of 1:56.4 — the quickest on the program — suggested it won’t be the last.

Dearest finally first

One of the most deserving wins at the Mooroopna meeting was that of four-yearold Mach Three mare Dearest.

Trained by veteran Avenel horseman Col Duncan, Dearest went into the race with six minor placings from her past eight starts.

This time though she was always going to be the one to beat when she led and with top reinsman Chris Alford urging her on, she was never going to lose.

The win was the first leg in a driving double for Alford at the meeting. He later scored on the rejuvenated Mick Blackmoretrained Phirey Philtra.

Stewart feels Bliss

Congupna horseman Scott Stewart produced the well-named Abitmorebliss for a first up win at the Mooroopna meeting.

Stepping out for the first time since February, punters put their faith in the four-year-old gelding best known at this stage as the full brother of Stewart’s former champion pacer Bitobliss.

Stewart used Abitmorebliss’ barrier one draw and he led throughout to just hold off Cest La Classe in a two-horse war to the finishing line.

Stewart has not overraced Abitmorebliss, who was having just his eighth trip to the races, which have produced two wins.

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