HARNESS RACING
IT was a day of days at Melton, Victoria's harness racing home, on Sunday.
There were nine (Group one) Australasian Breeders Crown grand finals, with stakes totalling more than $1.5 million, run over 2240 metres.
The $162,000 2-Y-0 Trotters started the day.
Kiwi Paramount Geegee was successful for Cambridge (North Island) trainer John Dickie and Canterbury reinsman Robbie Holmes.
Leading out from gate three Paramount Geegee, a gelded son of Pegasus Spur and Paramount Star, effortlessly accounted for a death-seating Chateau De Ville and Sir Pegasus (three back in the moving line) in a rate of 2-03.8. He ran the last half in 58.6 seconds and a quarter at 30.7.
The $50,000 4-Y-0 Trotters final went to another Kiwi, Muscles Yankee/Martina H colt Miami H, in a rate of 2-01.7.
Driven by David Butcher for Pukekohe (Auckland) trainer Derek Balle, Miami H ran from inside the second row.
He gave his supporters plenty of concern after galloping shortly after the start and settling a long way off the leader, Miss Bullion, which was given no peace by Tuhimata Glass.
When Rostevarren, which had been three wide for a long way, crossed to lead at the bell Miami H was set alight out wide approaching the home turn and issued a challenge.
Rostevarren kicked away on turning and looked like the winner.
But racing roughly and eventually galloping halfway up the running, Rostevarren virtually threw the race away, allowing Miami H to score by a head on the wire in 2-01.7 (62.1 – 32.4). Ninegrandsons was third.
Top liner of the future, Let MeThru, scored an arrogant victory in the $50,000 4-Y-0 Trotters final in 1-59.9.
Trained at Nagambie by Chris Lang senior and driven by Chris Lang junior, Let Me Thru (Muscles Yankee/Invasions Pride) led throughout.
Let Me Thru defeated Down Under Muscles which shadowed her from the bell. Aleppo Sunrise, a stablemate of the winner, came third.
Brilliant Kiwi, De Lovely, was outstanding in the $188,000 3-Y-0 Fillies final as expected.
Trained by Geoff Small and driven by David Butcher, De Lovely ran from the dreaded outside front line draw and was trapped wide, before exploding to the front racing for the bell.
Never extended at any stage, De Lovely coasted to the wire in 1-57.6 (56.8 -27.3) to score from Miss Tricken Lombo which trailed for the final circuit after leading early. Art Princess (one/one) was third.
Bred and raced by the Les Girls No2 Syndicate, De Lovely took her stake earnings to almost $500,000.
The $100,000 4-Y-0 Mares final appeared on paper to be a match between Australia’s best two mares Broadways Best and Make Mine Cullen, with Broadways Best a raging hot favourite.
Assuming control from gate four, Broadways Best was given a comfortable time until Make Mine Cullen from four back in the moving line circled the field to park outside her at the bell.
With the pair drawing clear approaching the home turn, Make Mine Cullen proved superior on the day in scoring by a 4 metre margin over Queen Of Fire along the sprint lane off the back of the leader in 1-56.5 (last half 56.6 – quarter 28.7), with Broadways Best disappointing in finishing third.
Trained by Glenn Douglas for Sydney owner/breeder Roger Bazley, Make Mine Cullen (Christian Cullen/Intrude) who was also victorious in last year’s fillies Final, recorded her 19th success in 32 race appearances.
Winning reinsman Daryl Douglas advised after the race that he was extremely confident on the home turn and his judgement was certainly justified.
Veteran reinsman Brian Gath (66) was responsible in producing the “drive of the day” to land the 2-Y-0 Colts & Geldings Final aboard the Ian Dornauf (Mernda) trained Dawn Ofa New Dayister Dancer colt Royal Verdict in a rate of 1-56.8.
Driven with extreme vigour to cross from gate three, Gath elected to hand over the running to the highly fancied Sushi Sushi (gate six), receiving the run of the race.
Using the sprint lane, Royal Verdict ran home strongly to overhaul Sushi Sushi over the concluding stages (half 56.6 – 28.3), with the roughie Caesars Folly third from four back the markers at the bell.
Clyde (Cranbourne) trainer Jayne Davies combined with Gavin Lang to capture the $308,000 2-Y-0 Fillies Final with much improved Passions Promise , a daughter of Modern Art and SilkySand.
Driven forward from gate seven to park outside the well backed Lively Moth (gate two), Passions Promise gained cover at the expense of her stablemate Aussie Made Lombo and relaxed beautifully.
Taken into the clear on straightening, Passions Promise ran home stylishly in defeating the roughie Sheezallattitude along the sprint lane from three back the markers, with Aussie Made Lombo third.
The mile rate 1-58.8 (half 56.3 – quarter 28.4).
North Island co-trainers Brian Hughes and John Green provided the winner Devil Dodger and third place getter Courage To Rule in the 188,000 3-Y-0 Colts & Geldings Final.
Driven by Brent Mangos, Devil Dodger possied mid-field in the moving line from gate six, before latching on to the back of Its My Pleasure at the bell.
With Smiling Shard making a surge from last with around 1400 metres to travel to cross the pacemaker Lanercost in the back straight on the final occasion, Devil Dodger despite being right off the track on the home turn, finished brilliantly to blowse Smiling Shard by a neck in the shadows of the post, with Courage To Rule (one/one) third.
The mile rate 1-56.6 (half 56.5 – quarter 28.7)
A gelded son of Mach Three and Bishops Blessing, Devil Dodger has a record of ten wins and eight placings from only 21 race appearances.
Victorian up and comer Villagem (Village Jasper/Amarillen) showed what an outstanding proposition he is, by toying with his rivals in the $100,000 4-Y-0 Entires & Geldings Final.
Trained by Lisa and David Miles at Monegeetta (not far from Sunbury), Villagem from gate six was four wide running into the first turn, with the Queenslander El Padrino retaining the inside running from the pole.
Allowed to stride to the front with a circuit travel, Villagem did only what he had to do in defeating El Padrino which moved to the outside on the home turn, with Runaway Red third after trailing the pair.
Bought at the APG sales by Terry and Mick Lingard, Villagem bred in Tasmania by Pauline Barker and associates returned a mile rate of 1-57.1, running his last half in 55.3 and quarter in a sizzling 26.8.
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