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The Moorabool News – 1 February, 2022 Page 21
Football and netball planned for 2022
By Helen Tatchell
In a positive start to the year, the Ballarat Football Netball League Board has announced the final fixture for the upcoming BFNL Senior season. General Manager Shane Anwyl said this season is hoped to build on momentum from 2021 that was cut short, with a full fixture of 18 rounds plus finals planned. “As with tradition, all cubs will play 16 games and have two bye’s,” he said. Round 1 kicks off on Saturday 9 April while Round 2 is split across the following weekends with Lake Wendouree to host Redan on Good Friday, being the first Round 2 game. Mr Anwyl said the Queen’s Birthday full competition bye will return after being well received in 2021. “Bacchus Marsh will host Sunbury on this weekend as a Round 9 standalone game,” Mr Anwyl said. “Details of night and twilight games will be advised after discussions with clubs as we lead up to the start of the season.” The Grand Final has been scheduled for Saturday 17 September. In Round 1 on Saturday 9 April, Bacchus Marsh (home) will play Ballarat Swans and Darley will play away against Sebastopol.
Casey Classic winner: Triple Eight (7). Trainer: Jess Tubbs. Driver: Greg Sugars. Photos: Stuart McCormick.
Lost by a head, wins on protest
By Tim O’Connor (HRV) It was déjà vu for connections of Expensive Ego, who crossed the line first in the Group 2 Allied Express Casey Classic but had the race taken away in the stewards’ room at Tabcorp Park last Saturday night. The Belinda McCarthy-trained star was also first past the post in the Inter Dominion Pacing Championship Grand Final at Menangle in December, however was stripped of the title for interference on Boncel Benjamin in the home straight. And it was the straight that again caused problems on Saturday night, with connections of Triple Eight lodging a protest against Expensive Ego’s wayward run in the concluding stages of the race. And stewards agreed. They awarded the victory to the Jess Tubbs-trained (Myrniong) gelding, who looked set to run past his rival before the alleged interference occurred. Harness Racing Victoria Chairman of Stewards Brett Day explained that there were two parts to driver Greg Sugars' protest and pointed to incidents immediately upon straightening and also approaching the 100m mark.
"We were satisfied, particularly that second portion, that when he did have to take (Triple Eight) away from Expensive Ego, that it was quite an abrupt movement, that he had to really pull Triple Eight out and away from Expensive Ego," he said. "We were satisfied that given the head margin between the two runners at the finish of the race, that those two incidents in combination, but for those Triple Eight would have finished ahead of Expensive Ego and the protest was upheld." Regardless of the protest result, it was a huge performance from Triple Eight. He was wide early from barrier seven and had to sit parked to Expensive Ego for the last lap of the 2240m trip. The field rated a slick 1:53.9min mile rate, with final quarters of 27.4sec and 27.5sec. The effort puts him right in the picture for next weekend’s Group 1 $500,000 Del-Re National A.G. Hunter Cup, with TAB having him on the fifth line of betting at $8. A total of 24 horses have been nominated for a place in the Grand Circuit classic, with the final field to be declared on Monday 31 January before the barrier draw is conducted live on TrotsVision from 7pm.
Heza gun alright By Tim O’Connor (HRV) Heza Son Of Agun elevated himself to a new level with a brilliant track record-equaling victory in the VHRC Caduceus 3YO Classic at Tabcorp Park Melton last Saturday night. Trainer Matthew Craven and driver Sofia Arvidsson combined for a second elite level success with the three-year-old colt, who backed up his Vicbred Super Series triumph on December 31 with a mindboggling display of sustained speed and toughness. Arvidsson was unable to cross the unbeaten Captain Ravishing (Ahmed Taiba/Anthony Butt) from barrier five, but it didn’t matter as the son of Art Major sat parked, put his rivals away at the top of the straight before holding on to score by almost 2m. He matched the Melton 3YO 1720m mark set by Captain Ravishing a couple of weeks earlier, with the mile rate clocked in 1:52.5min. “He’s just the best,” Arvidsson said post-race. “He did it tough tonight. I’m just so proud of him because he’s just such a professional. “He really wants to win, he knows where the line is, even at home. He always digs in until he hits the line first. He just loves it.” Horsham trainer-driver Aaron Dunn won last year’s VHRC Caduceus 3YO Classic with Bondi Lockdown and ran third in the 2022 edition of the race with Hot Deal, who hit the line hard to finish just behind runner-up Solesseo Matuca (Damien Burns/Chris Alford). The one-two finish was the same result from the Vicbred Super Series 2YO Colts and Geldings Final on New Year’s Eve. Owners/breeders Pam and Tony Coniglio were on track at Melton to witness the success of their horse Heza Son Of Agun, who took his career record to seven wins from 17 starts.
Caduceus Classic Winner: Heza Son Of Agun (5). Trainer: Matthew Craven. Driver: Sofia Arvidsson. Photo: Stuart McCormick.