Young Shepparton-trained trotter The Locomotive is building up more steam as he continues to crush rivals in feature races.
The three-year-old added the $50,000 Aldebaran Need For Speed Prince series final to his growing list of accolades at Melton last Friday night.
The Wayne Potter-prepared and Nathan Jack-driven three-year-old son of Muscle Mass again outclassed his rivals to post his 13th win, which includes five Group Ones from 19 starts. He has also been runner-up three times.
In his latest win he posted a 1:57.7 PB for the 1720m trip.
While Potter couldn’t be more pleased with The Locomotive he is not prepared at this stage to predict how far he could or will go.
‘‘He’s been racing in his own age group, but he hasn’t met the really good ones or more seasoned ones yet,’’ Potter said frankly.
Next on The Locomotive’s agenda is the $75,000 Victoria Trotters Derby at Maryborough on Sunday fortnight, October 29.
Ruby crowned Princess
Kyabram trots owners celebrated a feature race win at Melton last Friday night when young trotter Shes Ruby Roo claimed the $50,000 Need For Speed Princess final.
Local trainers Peter Hall and Graham Lyon plus Rob Whitford, Terry Nepean, Mark Schumann, Ross Meeking, Brendan McConnell and Tony Hansen and former Kyabramite Steve Sharp race the three-year-old filly who up staged the long odds on favourite Rock in with attitude in claiming the feature.
Trained by Jess Tubbs and driven by her husband Greg Sugars, Shes Ruby Roo has now won five of her 13 starts with five minor placings and has banked nearly $70,000 in stakemoney.
And another big pay day beckons tomorrow night at Melton when Shes Ruby Roo tackles the $75,000 Victoria Trotters Oaks.
She has drawn the inside of the second row and comes out behind the David Abrahams-trained Rapid Return who has drawn the pole.
The Rochester-trained and Nathan Jack-driven brilliant filly Shesawish is also contesting the Oaks and has a good eachway chance.
After unique double
Could Goulburn Valley reinsman Mark Pitt drive the Derby-Oaks double at tomorrow night’s Victoria Cup meeting at Melton?
Pitt will on the Emma Stewarttrained The Lost Storm and Major Delight in the classics.
Pitt partnered Petracca in his Derby heat win at Melton last Saturday night, but will drive The Lost Storm whom he drove to a third place finish in his heat.
NSW horseman Cameron Hart has picked up the drive on Petracca who looks the one to beat in the race after a blinding heat win.
Pitt’s Oaks heat win on Major Delight was impressive, with the filly returning a mile rate of 1:57.7 for the 2670m trip, which was actually a second faster than Petracca’s time for the trip.
Pitt also looks have one of the main players in the Victoria Trotters Oaks in Tradie Lady, another of the Stewart team.
Chloe fills Josh void
Congupna owners Stewart and Pam McDonald have found a replacement for their former consistent pacer Hayjoshandco.
The McDonalds own four-yearold mare Always Be Chloe who is making a fist of filling the gap left by the their old warrior Hayjoshandco, chalking up win number nine when she saluted at Wagga last Friday.
There have also been 14 minor placings in her 56 starts,
Hayjoshandco, now living a life of luxury at the McDonalds’ property, was a consistent pacer retired earlier this year after a marathon 215 starts which produced 20 wins, 27 second placings and 27 thirds for $132,000 in prizemoney.
Always Be Chloe was given the run of the race by Grace Bilney who was driving the pacer for the first time and was able to secure a sprint lane run to victory.
