JACKSON TAKES OUT A THRILLER OF SHEPPARTON TROTTERS CUP TO SHOW THERE’S A GOOD GENE POOLE
Veteran Stanhope breeder-owner Mac Poole experienced one of his biggest thrills in harness racing when his smart trotter Jackson Square caused an upset win in last Friday night’s Saddleworld Shepparton Trotters Cup.
The Mick Blackmore-trained fiveyear-old son of Bacardi Lindy, driven by John Caldow, was a 28/1 shot and finished too strongly for the third favourite Destinee Jenilou and the favourite Il Parata in the $25 000 2690 m Group Two marathon.
Caldow tucked Jackson Square away three back on the pegs in the run and once he got the five-yearold into free running on the home bend he was too strong at the finish for his for his more fancied rivals.
Blackmore was unable to attend the meeting to see Jackson Square become the second trotter he has trained to win the race.
Blackmore also produced Claudys Princess, a daughter of Bacardi Lindy, to win the race in 2015.
Jackson Square’s win was one of five winners Caldow partnered in a memorable night at the meeting.
He also claimed another of the features, the Abrahams Two-Year-Old Classic for trotters, with Andover Son who is trained by his wife Maree.
Andover Son, who paid $4.80, led from pillar to post to defeat Daring Angel and the impressive Russell Jack-trained debutant Jaxnme.
Caldow was also in the sulky behind Meziah ($4.40), also trained by his wife, who won a T1 or better trot. His other winners were Karlos ($3.20) a runaway winner for Elmore trainer Keith Cotchin and Sheer Modern ($2.20 fav) for Kyabram trainer Brent Thomson who scored effortlessly in a C0 Only class race.
My name means horse
Talented trotting filly I Am Pegasus who completed a hat-trick of wins when she claimed the Alabar Shepparton Trotters Oaks Trial on Friday night has a Goulburn Valley connection.
The Joe Vassallo-trained and Chris Alford-driven daughter of now retired sire Pegasus Spur gave another dashing front-running display to run her rivals ragged over the 2190 m trip.
In winning I Am Pegasus lowered the colours of the talented Bacardi Lindy filly Georgias Pride, who was shooting for four straight wins, and also denied reinsman John Caldow, who drove the runner-up, of his sixth winner for the meeting.
I Am Pegasus had dominated races from the front in her previous two wins, at Melton, and on the strength of those wins was a $1.40 chance at Shepparton.
I Am Pegasus is out of the Keystone Salute mare Ginger Gem, who had only one start.
But Ginger Gem is from a familiar Goulburn Valley family with her second dam being Styx, a multiple winning R Cee’s Dee Jay mare who has left six winners, including the champion trotting filly Zesta who were bred and raced by Peter Hornsby.
Ramblenroller skating
Pacer Ramblenroller hadn’t won in 20 previous starts, but vindicated the support which saw him start a $2.20 favourite in a C1 Only class race last week at Shepparton.
Driven by Samantha Govers for her trainer-father Stuart, Ramblenroller led from pillar to post in the 1690 m dash to beat the Dave Farrar trained Hayjoshandco and the Geoff Martin prepared Major Wish in a district trifecta.
It was the Blissfull Hall gelding’s first win since saluting at Cobram in early May last year.
A veteran of 124 starts, it was Ramblenroller’s 12th win and with 26 minor placings and more than $76 000 in prizemoney he has certainly paid his way.
Andyou are a winner
There’s not much of her, but Kyabram-trained trotting mare Andyou can produce a lethal sprint which she displayed in winning a TM0-TM1 class race at Melton last Saturday night.
The Wes Shellie-prepared and Ellen Tormey-driven trotter settled three back on the pegs from her barrier one draw over the 2240 m trip, sprint laning to victory in the home straight to record her 11th win from 36 outings which have produced nearly $80 000 in stakes.
Andyou will be trying to fry bigger fish at Melton tomorrow night when she tackles a $20 000 heat of the Aldebaran Park Vicbred Platinum Trot which has a $30 000 final at Melton tomorrow night week.
There was a Kyabram connection with another winner at last Saturday night’s Melton meeting.
Brilliant New Zealand-trained pacing mare My Step Up, who claimed a M1-M2 class race, is being trained at Kyabram.
My Step Up was driven to her latest win by John Caldow and the win took her prizemoney to more than $200 000.
Good odds double
Euroa horseman Cameron Maggs and Ardmona trainer-driver Donna Castes wouldn’t have been in the good books with favourite punters on Monday at Maryborough.
Castles and Maggs produced winners which rolled long odds-on chances.
Castles partnered the brilliant Sofala to a huge upset win, downing the $1.10 favourite Jilliby Chevy in a C6 or better class race.
Castles succeeded in holding the back of Jilliby Chevy at barrier rise over the 2190 m trip and was able to run down the hot pop via the sprint lane to win by a half-head in securing his ninth success.
Maggs didn’t waste any time in persuading former Riverina-trained Dancing In America to join the winners’ list.
Maggs produced the American Ideal gelding to win at his first start for him at Maryborough.
After 19 previous tries which had produced eight minor placings, mainly on Riverina tracks, Dancing In America was driven a treat by Maggs in a 1609 m dash. After enjoying a one-one sit in transit Dancing In America sprinted over the long odds favourite and pacemaker Bolt The Bomb in the home stretch to win by nearly 10 m.
Dancing In America is by American Ideal out of the Mach Three New Zealand mare Dancing In Roma, a winner of eight of only 17 starts.
