There were no major wins, but Goulburn Valley-trained trotters were in the minor money in Group One features at Melton last Saturday night.
Arcadia horseman Patrick Ryan produced the royally-bred Right Moves for a second placing in the Aldebaran Classic for three-yearold fillies, while in the colts and geldings final Kyabram trainer Brent Thomson got a bold showing from his long shot Builder Bob, who finished third.
Shepparton trainer Isabel Walsh also produced trotter Gentleman Sir on his best behaviour to finish third in another trotters race on the card.
Jolly Good fellow
There was some cheering after Im Jolly Good saluted last week at Shepparton.
Trained by local horseman Steve Boyington, the well-named son of Mr Feelgood has a large clan of owners, including members of the Boyington family.
Kima Frenning did the driving honours and after getting a tow into the race over the final circuit on the back of the second favourite Heza Braxton, Im Jolly Good was too good for that pacer in the drive to the finishing line.
With top five finishes at seven of his past eight starts Im Jolly Good was overdue to break his duck. And punters agreed.
Shining brightly
Promising pacer Starsbythebeach looked one of the best chances at Shepparton — and it turned out that way.
The Patrick Ryan-trained three-year-old daughter of Some beach somewhere was making a return to racing and with form in the Breeders Crown series as a two-year-old when third in the fillies final in August, looked and proved the one beat at her first start in her threeyear-old season.
Starsbythebeach didn’t get it all her own way and got some serious opposition from NSW visitor and second favourite Forever Yin in the concluding stages, but was a bit too good.
Locke that one in
Consistent David Aiken-trained pacer Jimmy Locke had not won on the track in 11 tries before stepping out last week at Shepparton.
But that all changed when reinsman Josh Aiken landed the major money with the Rock N Roll Heaven five-year-old who hoisted his 10 win.
Jimmy Locke beat Ozzie Bogan with his stablemate and the favourite Roll With It filling the minor placing with Kima Frenning in the sulky.
Age don’t weary him
Wangaratta-trained pacer Staress celebrated his 101st start with his third win on the track since mid-October when he saluted last week at Shepparton.
The 10-year-old Four Starzzz Shark gelding was driven to victory by Ardmona horsewoman Donna Castles and beat the favourite Clarenden Dazzler and the Jeff Gledhill-trained Im Scorching.
Staress came from last at the 800 m and in a two-horse war over the concluding stages got the better of the top fancy.
The Sharon Hahn-trained Staress has had six wins with the last three coming on the Shepparton track in the past three months after 50 starts without a win prior to that.
Leave it to the judge
Talk about a race caller’s nightmare. To say it was a crowded finish in a four-year-old and older race at Melton last Saturday night would be just about be the understatement of the year.
Seven pacers hit the line in a bunch with the Kerry n Manning trained and driven On the crest of a wave getting his nose out to claim the honours in the charge to the wire.
Sneaking into third place in the blanket finish was the Ros Rolfe-trained Franks Very Much, while Donna Castles had to be content with fifth place on the well-fancied Sofala, but only half a neck from the winner.
King and the queen
Members of the Wahring Weidenbach clan were well to the fore in the win of The Diamond King last week at Kilmore.
Kevin Weidenbach Jr owns and trains the eight-year-old who was driven to an upset victory courtesy of a top drive by his sister, Olivia.
It was the second win under Weidenbach’s training since he bought the eight-year-old who was previously prepared by leading Tasmanian trainer Ben Yole.
In 15 starts for Kevin the pacer has now won twice and filled top four placings on 10 occasions.
Out of the Shadow
The Diamond King was one of three Goulburn Valley-trained horses to win at Kilmore.
Shepparton horsewoman Laura Crossland produced Shadow Play gelding Shadow Chevron to win a 46-51 class race, while Kyabram trainer Mark Watson claimed a three-year-old race with Miss Artemis who was driven to a runaway win by Shepparton reinsman David Moran.
Shadow Chevron made it backto-back wins having won his previous start on the same track in August last year when prepared by Mark Pitt.
The maiden win of Miss Artemis was achieved at her seventh start. She is beautifully bred being a daughter of Art Major out the Bettors Delight mare Miss Athens, a winner of 10 races.
Mick has last Laugher
Six-year-old Kyabram-prepared trotter Rory McHinson was rewarded for his consistency with a strong win at Charlton on Sunday.
Driven by concession reinsman Jack Laugher the Mick Blackmoretrained trotter powered over his rivals in the concluding stages in the 2570 m marathon to tip out the favourite Blue Coman in the last stride.
Some of his vocal Kyabram female owners were there to cheer him home as usual.
Rory McHinson’s mile rate for the long trip under the standing start conditions was a creditable 2:03.9.
In his previous eight starts Rory McHinson had missed a top five finish only once.
He is building a good record with five wins and seven placings from 20 starts.
The Faithful cash in
The Amanda Turnbull-David Moran combination cleaned up at Warragul on Sunday with a winning double.
Moran drove the Turnbulltrained The Faithful to win the claimers race and then buttered up three races later to win on another of the trainer’s team, Scotlynn Beach.
The Faithful was having his first start for Turnbull this time around, but has previously been in the Turnbull barn.
He is a much-travelled pacer having also campaigned in NSW, Queensland and Tasmania after starting his racing career in New Zealand.
A veteran of 92 starts he has an impressive record with 16 wins and 17 placings and more than $195 000 in prizemoney.
They got the turkey
Santa Claus came early for some district trainers and drivers at the Shepparton Christmas eve meeting on Tuesday night.
Those to get early Chrissy presents were Undera trainer Justin Torney, reinsman David Moran and trainer-drivers Laura Crossland and Damian Wilson.
Torney produced the Greg Sugars-driven Mister Joe Major from a brief let-up to claim his fourth win in 16 starts, Moran partnered the long shot The Blue Wren to a win for Avenel trainer Paul Tonkin, Crossland got the chocolates with Mamas New Dude, while Wilson cleaned up with trotter Kalarney Heidi.
Wilson had a big few days also producing Cobie Hall at Albury last Friday night to complete successive wins on the pacer.
More on those wins next week.
Coming up
Today: Mildura (n).
Tomorrow: Melton (n).
Sunday: Cranbourne (d).
Monday: St Arnaud (d).
Tuesday: Melton (n), Albury (n).
Wednesday: Echuca (n).
Thursday: Kilmore (d), Terang (n).