Page 20 The Moorabool News – 1 March, 2022
Sport
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Sweet success for Sugars
Tabcorp Park Saturday 26 February Race 5 Winner: Aldebaran Crescent (9). Driver: James Herbertson, Trainer: David Aiken. Photo: Stuart McCormick
Herb feels the Speed
By Tim O'Connor (HRV) James Herbertson was Johnny-on-the-spot as he guided consistent mare Aldebaran Crescent to a long-awaited maiden Group 1 success last Saturday night. As a big crowd celebrated the WomenCan Team Teal campaign with a major fundraising event at Tabcorp Park Melton, Herbertson weaved his magic on the track behind the David Aiken-trained seven-year-old. Herbertson saved the daughter of Majestic Son for one run and it proved the right move as she gunned down favourite Vacation Hill (Andy and Kate Gath) in the straight to win the Lyn McPherson Memorial Breed For Speed Gold Series Final. In the end it was a dominant performance, with Aldebaran Crescent clearing out to score by almost 5m in a mile rate of 1:56.5min over the 1720m trip.
It was Herbertson’s first time partnering the mare, which came about due to regular reinsman Josh Aiken being booked for driving commitments at Menangle on Saturday night. Aiky (David Aiken) is a champion of the game and he's just a champion bloke. Josh, as well, is following in his footsteps. He's just a great driver,” Herbertson said. “He got me on the horse and I can't thank him enough. I'll take him out for dinner for that one. “It's just great, it's a great feeling and who wouldn't want to be winning Group 1s?” Aldebaran Crescent’s record now stands at 13 wins from 64 runs for over $180,000 in prizemoney and she sits atop the Kerryn Manning Trotting Mares’ Triple Crown leaderboard after the opening leg of the series.
Inviting New and Inviting New and Existing Juniors Existing Juniors
Inviting New and Existing Juniors
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Pictures courtesy of @CMTrackside
By John Dunne It was a Victorian quinella for the ages: Better Eclipse earned himself a place in history as the fastest Australian bred pacer when he returned a stunning mile rate of 1:47.5 taking out a memorable edition of the Chariots Of Fire at Menangle (NSW) on Saturday 19 February. And the runner-up Bondi Lockdown produced a performance rarely seen from a beaten horse let alone in the most prestigious four-year-old Group 1 in the land. Sofia Arvidsson on the leader Bettor Call Me embarked on a mission to find the bottom of Bondi Lockdown’s considerable reserves of stamina when the $3.40 favorite joined her after working from an outside barrier in a blistering 24.3sec first quarter. When Aaron Dunn asked Bondi Lockdown for the supreme effort the son of Art Major shrugged off the relentless mid-race tempo and appeared to gain a winning break halfway down the long Menangle straight. It was left to Greg Sugars and Better Eclipse to emerge from the gasping pack and launch a challenge. A withering finale from Better Eclipse ($8) was sufficient for the son of Betterthancheddar to reel in Bondi Lockdown, holding a metreand-a-half margin on the line. Sugars admitted he and Myrniong trainer Jess Tubbs were still coming to terms with the enormity of the situation they found themselves in, having not only won the Chariots but earned automatic entry into the Miracle Mile with Better Eclipse. Jess and I woke up the other morning and both of us really can’t believe we have a
runner in the Miracle Mile,” Sugars said. He also acknowledged Bondi Lockdown’s remarkable will to win. “I was coming quick enough to think ‘I’ve got you’, but the other horse wouldn’t lie down and for a moment I thought ‘I might not have you’, and it was only when my horse poked his head in front with 50 metres to go,” he said. “Better Eclipse seems to be able to sprint off any speed, which is a great attribute to have.” Sugars conceded Better Eclipse’s fast finishing fourth in the Paleface Adios Stakes was cause for optimism in the Chariots Of Fire from the pole. “He went into the Paleface Adios underdone and when he got out late and hit the line so well it filled us with confidence that he would be at his peak for the Chariots,” he said. Sugars has the distinction of featuring prominently in the two fastest races run at Menangle, having driven Soho Tribeca into third place behind My Field Marshal in an Australasian record mile rate of 1:46.9 in the 2018 Miracle Mile. Not surprisingly, Aaron Dunn said Bondi Lockdown had little left to give over the final 100 metres of the brutally run affair.
Ballan Brumbies Basketball RESULTS – Week ending 26 February U10 Boys: Ballan 8 lost Phoenix Bullets 22 U12 Boys: Ballan Red 7 lost Celtic Tigers 25 Ballan White 42 def Drummo Dragons Black 19 U12 Girls: Ballan 34 def Saints Shock 6 U14 Boys: Ballan Red 14 lost Phoenix Red Devils 32 Ballan White 41 def Phoenix Breakers 28 U14 Girls: Ballan 24 def Excies Acmy 19 U16 Boys: Ballan Red 21 lost Drummo Dragons Green 52 Ballan White 29 lost Ballan Brumbies Blue 52 Ballan Blue 52 def Ballan Brumbies White 29 Ballan A 46 lost Phoenix United 89 U16 Girls: Ballan 18 defeated Wildcats Gold 17 U19 Boys: Ballan Red 39 def Drummo Dragons Green 26 Ballan White 33 lost Drummo Dragons Silver 40 U19 Girls: Ballan 29 def Celtic Tigers 23