The second favourite and debutante was in a warlike dual down the home straight with favourite Yourshoutrocky, reined by Greg Sugars, with the debutante grabbing the money and the canteen of cutlery, provided by Greg Wadeson for the race named in honour of his parents Ken and Marjory Wadeson.
Reined to perfection by the state’s 2017-18 Driver of the Year Chris Alford, the pair saluted in a sizzling 1:55.2 for the 1670m, one tenth of a second outside the Age/Sex record set by Major Times in the same race two years ago.
The track honours for the day belonged to Melton and former Echuca reinsman John Caldow, chalking up a driving double with Ideal Velocity for the Cakebread Family in the Eureka Series (first heat) and Madeeba in the Carbine Chemicals Pace; the six-year-old mare greeting the judge in style for the Caldow family in a scorching 1:54.2, the fastest mile rate of the day as she spreadeagled the field on her way to glory.
The Jim Canny Memorial Trot was a walk in the park for Bendigo trainer-driver Ellen Tormey and four-year-old mare Mar Pacifico as the pair left the rest of the field in their wake to score by more than 24m.
Ron Campbell was trackside to present the $150 Saddleworld voucher on behalf of Jan Canny to one of the winning owners, John Tormey.
The meeting proved to be a great day for local Goulburn Valley trainers, saluting in five of the nine races programmed.
Rebecca Bartley started the charge saluting with Wayonbye for Shepparton trainer Stephen O’Donoghue in the second on the program.
A few races later, popular Congupna owner-trainer reined his four-year-old mare at super odds to a thrilling win against the favourite, five-year-old mare from the Crossland Moran stable, Kinetic Kate, in the Egmont Park Stud Pace.
Donna Castles kept the local flag flying with a brilliant drive on ‘red hot’ favourite Sofala to greet the judge in style against David Jack’s Call Me Hector in the AAA Woolbuyers Pace.
The winner took home a beautiful trophy presented by Bernie O’Kane on behalf of AAA Woolbuyers.
The classy five-year-old gelding’s mile rate for the 2170m was just eight tenths outside the track record.
Craig Turnbull and the in-form La Player soon joined the party when the striking black four-year-old stormed home down the sprint lane in the Hygain Pace at great odds of $10.80 ahead of $81 ‘long shot’ Mystery Writer, owned by Bill Gread (Numurkah).
A top drive by Turnbull saw La Player score his third win from his past four starts.
A superb afternoon of top class racing culminated in a class performance by the up-and-coming three-year-old filly Gordon Girl, reined by David Moran, scoring her maiden win after five starts.
The pair were a class act as they saluted full of running in the Peter Haag Memorial Three-Year-Old Pace after giving the Merrigum-trained Suresoundslikealie and Salvator Mundi the flick in the home straight, cruising to the post in a perfectly-judged race by the ace pilot.
Chrissie Gill was trackside to rug Gordon Girl with an inscribed rug and present a $500 Bob Jane voucher for the winning trainers Laura Crossland and David Moran.
Special thanks to Gill for her generous sponsorship in memory of her father and well-known horseman in the area, Peter Haag.
The club also extends its appreciation to all sponsors of last week’s race meeting for their generosity.
The focus in the weeks ahead will be preparing for one of the biggest and most important days on the club’s calendar, Community Pink Ladies Day at the Trots in support of the McGrath Foundation.
Organisers have several new and exciting new initiatives in store which will be released in the coming weeks.
At present, a signed cricket carrying players’ signatures in the 2018-19 Big Bash premiership team, the Melbourne Renegades is being auctioned on the club’s Facebook page in an effort to boost funds raised for the worthy cause.
A must look for all cricket lovers and a chance to claim a piece of one-off memorabilia. Auction finishes at midnight on Saturday, May 4.
16°C