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Shepparton News 22-6-18 - Sulky Shorts

Loch in birthday present

 

CROSSLAND HOPING TO CAP PERSONAL OCCASION WITH WIN IN BREEDERS CHALLENGE FINAL AT MENANGLE

Shepparton pacer Lochinvar Art has drawn barrier four in the rich Alabar Breeders Challenge series final for two-year-old colts and geldings at Menangle on Sunday next week after a dominant semi-final last weekend.

Keeping it in house: Shepparton trainer Steve O’Donoghue had a Yarra Valley winner, Molly Pippin, out of his successful Morley Park Stud stallion Bacardi Lindy.

The Laura Crossland-trained and Luke McCarthy-driven Lochinvar Art had a much slower mile rate than the other semi-final winner, the Emma Stewart-trained Hardhitter, but won more effortlessly.

The draw for the final was made immediately after the semi-finals.

Hardhitter, who was also driven by McCarthy, has drawn alongside Lochinvar Art in barrier five in the final.

Lochinvar Art swamped his rivals at the finish of his semi to suggest he can go a lot quicker, which makes for intriguing final, but there are other talented youngsters who could upset the Victorians.

Crossland said Lochinvar Art had returned to his home environment after his semi-final win and would return to Menangle next Thursday to prepare for the final.

‘‘It’s (final) being run the day before my birthday, so it would (be) a nice birthday present if he could win it wouldn’t it?’’ Crossland said.

Casting call for talent

Kyabram trainer Mark Watson produced an impressive debutant two-year-old winner at Shepparton last week in Casting Shadow.

With no early speed, the sturdily built chestnut son of Shadow Play was not able to use his poleline barrier draw to advantage and settled second last early.

His driver Ellen Tormey then took the initiative and sent him around the field midrace to sit outside the pacemaker and last start winner Tiger Courage and he was too strong for that pacer in the run to the judge.

Watson said Casting Shadow had shown a lot of ability in his preparation for his debut and he was pleased with the win, given he got no favours in the run.

‘‘He is a big strong horse and hopefully he can keep improving,’’ Watson said.

Casting Shadow is the fifth winner from the Perfect Art mare Jewell Of Cobargo and could well be the most talented.

Tormey enjoyed a driving double at the meeting, also partnering the New Zealand mare Our Step Up for an impressive win.

Mark Watson’s New Zealand trainer cousin Steve Telford is preparing Our Step Up at Kyabram for the upcoming Vicbred Super Series.

Secret out and gone

Another impressive debutant winner at Shepparton last week was My Secret Beach, who led from pillar to post in a three-yearold race.

Trained and driven by Nathan Jack, My Secret Beach singled out with the Craig Turnbull-trained and Mark Pitt-driven Im Joey Jones to fight on the finish, with the Terang visitor Keayang Sponge Bob filling the minor placing.

Im Joey Jones was attempting to complete a hat-trick of wins, so My Secret Beach’s triumph was full of merit.

By Somebeachsomewhere, My Secret Beach is out of the McArdle mare, Thats My Secret, and is the first foal from that mare to race.

Nathan Jack was on a bit of a roll going into the meeting having driven a treble at Swan Hill on the Wednesday night.

Dearest strikes twice

Prior to his latest two starts, four-year-old mare Dearest had not won a race. That all changed at Shepparton on June 10. And Dearest, trained by veteran Avenel horseman Col Duncan, obviously liked that experience so much she repeated it at Shepparton last Friday night.

In a typical aggressive drive, Chris Alford sent Dearest across the face of the field from her extreme outside front-row draw and she was never headed thereafter.

While Dearest took 33 starts to join the winners club, she had been a consistent performer with six seconds and 10 third placings in her resume before breaking her duck.

Dearest is by Mach Three out of the winning Jennas Beach Boy mare Confetti, who left one other winner.

Kung Fu fighting

Jilliby Kung Fu, one of the pacers good judges believe could help fill the void in the open class pacing ranks left with the retirement of Lennytheshark and Bling It On, was regarded as the bet of the night at Shepparton last Friday night.

Jilliby Kung Fu duly won, but he was given a run for his money by Wrappers Delight, making his debut for the David Aiken stable.

Bred by Blanche and Dean Poole at Congupna’s Rhiannon Stud, Jilliby Kung Fu got home by a neck with a big space to the third placegetter Yerrington Bob in 1:56.8 mile rate time for the 2190 m mobile trip. In fairness, Jilliby Kung Fu did the heavy work in the win, but Wrappers Delight was brave.

Formerly prepared in Victoria by Geoff Wester, Wrappers Delight had not raced since contesting races at the Inter Dominion carnival in Perth last year, where he was a winner.

While the Aiken stable just missed out with Wrappers Delight, it did savour success with Midnight in hangover, driven by Kima Frenning, breaking through for his maiden win in his 13th trip to the races.

Reinsman Mark Pitt also partnered the promising Josh Aiken trained Trendy Bromac to his fifth career win in 16 starts at the meeting.

Pippin worth tippin’

Shepparton trainer Steve O’Donoghue, who stands highly successful trotting stallion Bacardi Lindy at his Morley Park Stud, is preparing a winner himself by the highly successful stallion.

Molly Pippin, a four-year-old daughter of Bacardi Lindy driven by Bec Bartley, scored at Yarra Valley on Monday, courtesy of the hot favourite Posseidon galloping in the home straight when 20 m clear of field.

Molly Pippin, who had sat on the back of the much-lauded Posseidon in the run, seized the moment and trotted to the finishing line clear of Redason and Myrniong Rainbow to notch her first win at only her second start.

At her first start, Molly Pippin had run third to the Gavin Lang-trained and driven Pantzup at Bendigo on June 9.

Molly Pippin is beautifully bred with her dam Cashel Epona, who is by Pine Chip.

She is primed for series

Beautifully bred two-year-old trotter She Is The One notched her second win in just four career starts when she scored at Maryborough last week for Arcadia trainer Patrick Ryan.

She had won at her second start at Kilmore on May 24 and followed that up with a second placing at Maryborough on May 31.

Driven by Chris Alford, She Is The One took up the front running early in the race and was never headed.

A Sheron Park-owned filly, She Is The One is by boom trotting sire Muscle Hill out of the Sundon mare Right Interest, a winner of 18 races who has left two other winners, but is a daughter of broodmare gem Late Withdrawal who has left nine winners, including the Chris Lang-trained champion National Interest.

She Is The One looks certain to play a big hand in the coming Vicbred Super Series and Breeders Crown.

No certainty for Kiss

Bathurst Gold Tiara winner Major Kiss returned to racing a winner in a heat of the Vicbred Super Sires for two-year-old fillies at Bendigo on Tuesday night, but those who took the short odds had their hearts leap into their mouths before collecting.

Just when there appeared to be no dangers, the Emma Stewart-trained and Chris Alforddriven Tiger Storm f lashed up along the inside to almost nab the David Jack-trained and driven pacemaker and favourite.

The Euroa pacer was having her first hitout since winning her heat and final of the Bathurst Tiara in March and will obviously benefit from the run.

The win was the daughter of Art Major and Major Kiss’ fourth salute in just the seven starts with two minor placings.

Another horseman to savour success at Bendigo was Mark Pitt, who reined the Emma Stewart-trained Two Times Bettor and Hurricane Harley to wins in heats of the Vicbred Super Series.

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