Page 44 - Melbourne Observer - Wednesday, April 20, 2011
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Observer Victorian Sport Racing Briefs
Squaregaiters at Mildura ■ Every 12 months during Cup Week, the Mildura Harness Racing Club host two races dedicated to the squaregaiters and such was the case at Thursday's fixture, featuring the $12,000 Homevale Stud Mildura Trotters Cup and the $6,000 VSTA Trotters Handicap, both attracting capacity fields. Four year old Sierra Kosmos/Panbrake gelding Tsonga has been racing in great heart of late and landed the Homevale Stud Cup for T5 or better class (D-H) over 2600 metres. Coming into the race out of his class (T3) made no difference to Tsonga, who led throughout from the pole in recording a strong victory for reinsman Nathan Jack over the second elect My Mate Claudy who made a real race of it after facing the breeze from the bell after starting from 10 metres, with Puerto Bonus running home strongly from three back the markers when extricated into the clear for an eye catching third. Trained at Avenel by Greg Norman for owners Jim & Gerard Amalfi, Tsonga returned a mile rate of 2-06.2 in recording his 7th success in 37 outings.
Doubles and trebles ■ Shayne Cramp had a 'night of nights' on Thursday after providing a training treble and driving double on the eight event program. Elsu/Adriatique colt Elque led throughout on debut in the Carbine Chemicals 2-Y-0 Pace over 1790 metres, defeating Star Of Paris and Eight Tee I in a rate of 2-04.6. Cramp provided the "drive of the night" aboard 4Y-0 Life Sign/Empire Lass gelding Today to land the Win Television Pace for C1 & C2 class over 2190 metres. Settling one/two from gate two on the second line, Today was switched down to the markers in the last lap to trail the leader and hot favourite Allrightythen, before easing to the outside on the final bend and finishing best to score from Saint Flash (one/one) three wide home turn and Allrightythen in a rate of 202.1. When the Western Australia owned and Cramp trained 4-Y-0 Elsu/Glenfruin gelding Visigoth stepped out to contest the VHRSC Pace for C3 to C5 class with WA reinsman Gary Hall (Jnr) in the sulky, the treble came up with Visigoth leading throughout from gate four to score in advance of Ultimate Asset (three back the markers) and a death-seating Our Crusherdust in a rate of 2-02.5.
Mildura Milestone ■ A milestone came the way of Mildura based reinsman Luke Watson, when 4-Y-0 Blissful Hall/ Her Dynasty mare Abigail Hall raced by popular Nichols Point (Mildura) trainer Ian Campbell, wife Mary and partners greeted the judge in the Piscioneri Transport Pace for Co class (mares) over 2190 metres, as it was his 250th winner. Enjoying a sweet passage three back in the moving line from gate two on the second line, Abigail Hall came with a late finish on straightening to score from Our First Chloe which led off the back straight after racing in the open and Markleigh Terri in a rate of 2-05.4.
Harness Racing briefs ■ Moama trainer/driver Mal Whiteford's 4-Y-0 Sundon/Juverna gelding Cameos Moment did everything right in taking the Katunga Lucerne Mill Trotters Handicap for T0 or better class over 2678 metres at Cobram on Thursday. Beginning fast from 20 metres, Cameos Moment enjoyed a perfect passage one/one, easing three wide in the last lap to win well from Oceania and Silver Memory in a rate of 2-08.1. ■ Another Moama winner on the day was quality Pacific Fella/Soap Box 4-Y-0 mare Lady Belladonna in the 2nd heat of the Vicbred Super Sires Series for 4-Y-0 mares over 2170 metres in a slick 1-59.1. With regular reinsman Neil McCallum in the sulky, Lady Belladonna led throughout from gate three in accounting for a game Left In Paris which raced outside her, with Bebop (one/one) third.
MIGHTY MAGICAL MILDURA
■ The biggest provincial harness racing carnival in Victoria - the Park Douglas Printing Mildura Pacing Cup Carnival commenced at Mildura on Tuesday April 12, with a night of exciting racing. The first heat of the 2600 metre feature event for M0 or better class saw victory go the way of Goulburn Valley (Undera) owner/trainer Glenn Freeman's 8-Y-0 Totally Ruthless/Karamea Sunshade gelding Baltic Ice in a rate of 1-59.8 (last half mile 56.9 - quarter 28.4). Driven by former Romsey reinsman Scott Dyer now based in Bendigo, Baltic Ice led out from gate two, travelling hard up on the steel throughout, before kicking clear on the final bend to score from the well supported Tear It All Away which raced outside him for the greater portion of the journey, with the local hope and rank outsider Panorama Drive third after trailing the winner.
Top effort ■ Heat two saw South Australian visitor Ohoka Nevada greet the judge in a rate of 2-01.7. Trained by Jonathon Kingston-Mayne and well handled by stable reinsman Mark Billinger, Ohoka Nevada a 6-Y-0 gelded son of Sands A Flyin and All My Art settled mid-field in the moving line after starting from gate two on the second line. Set alight through the middle stages to park outside fellow croweater Conte Del Sasso, Billinger controlled the race to suit knowing what he had under him. Asked for a supreme effort on straightening, Ohoka Nevada's strength prevailed over the concluding stages in accounting for Lets Slash An Burn (one/one) and Thats Mister Ali from near last on reaching the wire.
First visit ■ Romsey trainer Paul Males making his first visit to Sunraysia, landed the 1st heat of the Mark Gurry & Associates Cup for C4 to C8 class over 2190 metres with Modern Art/Georgia Rose 4-Y-0 gelding Modern Warrior bred and raced by parents Peter & Yvonne Males. Leading out from the pole, Modern Warrior was crossed by a flying Corporate Power Broker (gate four) running into the first turn, with driver Scott Dyer immediately coming away from the inside to
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have a crack for the lead which didn't eventuate. Gaining cover when Neil McCallum sent Omniscient forward from mid-field to park outside the pacemaker, Modern Warrior was given a short breather before easing three wide on the home turn. Finishing full of running, Modern Warrior scored in a 1-59.4 rate over a game Omniscient and the home town hero Loaded which made up plenty of ground over the final stages.
Contempt ■ The second heat of the Mark Gurry was nothing more than a "stroll in the park" for the Melton based Brent Lilley/Gavin Lang combination, when bonny Badlands Hanover/ Spring Thaw 4-Y-0 mareTalaspring treated her rivals with contempt in a rate of 2-01.4. Starting from the extreme draw, Talaspring was set alight shortly after the start to assume control and was never let go, cruising to the wire in advance of Bet Your Life which led out and Turbo Tate. The duo had opened the night's proceedings by taking the 1st heat of the Mildura Working Man's Club Pace for C2 & C3 class over 2190 metres with another ex-New Zealander in 4-Y-0 Badlands Hanover/Fleets Pocket mare Flying Pocketlands, leading all of the way from gate four in defeating Four Grinners which raced outside her and La Moray (one/one) in a mile rate of 2-00.5.
Early gift ■ Local trainer/driver Shayne Cramp received an early wedding present, when Dream Away/ Corilla Warria gelding Dream La Vita (gate four) led throughout in the 1st heat of the Tankard Dental Mildura Guineas over
2190 metres, defeating his semi-stablemate Limburg trained by father Greg which trailed from the pole with W-A's Gary Hall (Jnr) holding the reins, with Dynamite Dick third after following the pair. The mile rate 1-59.9. 1Shayne was married last Sunday.
Combined ■ Maiden Gully (Bendigo) trainer Paul Campbell combined with Greg Sugars to land the 2nd heat of the Mildura Working Man's Pace with very honest 5-Y-0 Astreos/ The Beautifulsouth gelding It And A Bit in a rate of 2-00.3. Moving three wide from mid-field in the last lap, It And A Bit sprinted brilliantly out wide in the final circuit to lead on turning and held a margin to the wire in accounting for Grand Passion and Yamaha Lad.
Three-wide ■ South Australian trainer Ryan McMillan snared the quinella in the Victorian Square Trotters Association Trotters Handicap for T0 to T4 class over 2600 metres with two former Kiwi's Brylin Crescent and My Independence Day in a mile rate of 2-08.2 Brylin Crescent a 4-Y0 daughter of Brylin Boyz and Another Starlet was given an easy time four back in the running line by Gavin Lang after starting from barrier three on the 10 metre line, finishing full of running to score from her stablemate My Independence Day which led, with Trent Deville third off a three wide double trail at the bell. ● Len Baker presents Harness Review, a dedicated two-hour program of harness news, views and interviews on 979fm.net
■ Prolific winning 6-Y-0 Sands A Flyin/All My Art gelding Ohoka Nevada chalked up his 24th victory in 58 race appearances, when successful in the $50,000 (Group 2) Park Douglas Printing Mildura Pacing Cup for M0 or better class over 2600 metres at Mildura on Saturday. Trained at Angle Vale by Jonathon KingstonMayne and driven by stable reinsman Mark Billinger who have proven to be a formidable combination this season, Ohoka Nevada from gate three on the second line bided his time four back in the moving line until approaching the bell lap, when he eased three wide to follow Tear It All Away which came out ahead of him. The action had been on from the outset, with Conte Del Sasso another South Australian leading the field from gate two, despite a strong challenge from heat winner Baltic Ice (gate four) which spent the entire race parked in the open. More fireworks were to happen mid-race, when Daryl Douglas sent the Nyah Cup winner Stirling Charmer forward three widefrom three back in the running line with a rush to tackle the leaders, however Scott Dyer refused to surrender the "deathseat", leaving Stirling Charmer on a limb, with Douglas having no option but to restrain back to where he came from. With the three wide line surging into the final bend, Tear It All Away hit the front on straightening, with Ohoka Nevada in hot pursuit and Lets Slash An Burn angling into the clear from near last after obtaining a run through the middle, while John Justice and Thats Mister Ali had switched down to the inside in the last lap after following the pair. Sweeping to the front as the winning post came into view, Ohoka Nevada scored by 2 metres in advance of the Geoff Webster trained stablemates Lets Slash An Burn and Tear It All Away in a rate of 1-59.6 (last half 59.3 - quarter 29.9). Thats Mister Ali rattled home late for fourth ahead of the local hope Panorama Drive. Raced by Queensland resident Sam Treccase, Ohoka Nevada had previously captured the Kilmore Cup in 2010 and dead-heated in the Cranbourne Cup the same year.
Settled near last ■ One of the most popular winners on Cup night was 6-Y-0 Kiwi bred In The Pocket/My Party Doll gelding Loaded in the $25,000 Mark Gurry & Associates Cup Final for C4 to C8 class over 2190 metres, much to the delight of Mildura owners Peter & Avis Argiro who have been racing horses around the district for many years. Trained and driven by Luke Watson, Loaded after settling near last from the extreme draw, peeled very wide on straightening off a three wide trail at the bell following the red-hot favourite Talaspring, before producing a dynamic sprint to score from Talaspring and Korunye Kid (three back the markers - five wide on turning) in a rate of 1-59.4.
High note for pair ■ Avenel trainer Greg Norman and owner Jim Amalfi finished Cup Week on a high note, when 8Y-0 Village Jasper/Larisleas Gem gelding Ti Vogliobene blitzed his rivals in the Loddon Valley Stud Free For All over 2190 metres. Starting from gate four on the second line, driver Nathan Jack wasted no time in sending Ti Vogliobene forward shortly after the start to take the lead away from Our Madagascar and from there on, the race became a procession, with Ti Vogliobene scoring by a 10 metre margin over Longtan Safari (four back the markers) and Our Madagascar in a rate of 1-59.2.
This Week’s Meetings ■ ■ ■ ■ ■
Wednesday - Charlton/Shepparton, Thursday - Bacchus Marsh@Melton/Ballarat, Saturday - Bendigo, Sunday - Warragul (Cup)/Echuca, Tuesday - Nyah.