Gavin Lang and Yankee Rockstar round up Ohoka Punter and Beautide to win the 2016 Jet Roofing Kilmore Pacing Cup.
In terms of famous victories, Yankee Rockstar's Jet Roofing Kilmore Pacing Cup triumph last night will go down as one of the most memorable.
For starters, the race was changed from a traditional standing start event to a mobile start race this year, and was shortened from two miles to 2690m.
As a result of the changes a first class field was assembled, headlined by two-time Inter Dominion star Beautide.
And as for the race itself, it exceeded all expectations as a contest with trainer Emma Stewart and driver Gavin Lang combining for the win with Yankee Rockstar.
The Stewart-trained entire overhauled a brave Ohoka Punter late in the Group 2 feature with Beautide winding up in third place.
Many on social media were suggesting the race was one of the best of the season so far with Glenferrie Hood making the early play, holding the front from the pole.
Ohoka Punter (Anthony Butt) lobbed the breeze and Jimmy Rattray took Beautide up three-wide.
Butt made his intentions clear, the chair wasn’t up for grabs, Rattray having to snag aboard Beautide before squeezing into the one-one.
But shortly after grabbing some cover, Beautide was punching the breeze again as Butt pushed to the lead aboard Ohoka Punter, giving Glenferrie Hood the box seat.
Registering a lead time of 77.8secs, Ohoka Punter ran along in front before a 62.6secs first half.
The Shepparton Cup winning Ohoka Punter, who also recently finished second to Smolda in the Hunter Cup, got down the back in 28.9secs.
Beautide, who covered ground the entire trip, was put under some pressure off the back, the early work starting to take a toll.
Ohoka Punter slipped away and looked home and hosed at the top of the straight, but even if you were betting in the run you wouldn’t have put the house on at this point because he too had spent significant petrol early.
Yankee Rockstar was the fresh horse on the scene, Lang guiding him into clear air out wide before the five-year-old entire by Rocknroll Hanover out of Aston Villa hit top gear.
The last 400m was covered in 29.1seccs and Yankee Rockstar had a half-neck on Ohoka Punter at the finish with Beautide 4.4m off the winner in third, 1.1m ahead of Jadahson in fourth with Messini close-up in fifth.
Yankee Rockstar has now won over $208,000 in stakes this season so far, with a record of 12 starts for eight wins and three placings.
Stewart and Lang both ended up with four winners on the Kilmore Cup program, Stewart also successful with exciting three-year-old filly Heavens Trend (Rock N Roll Heaven/Trend Setter) winning the Kelly Sports 3YO Pace in 2:00.2 over 2180m, talented four-year-old mare Lovelist (Always A Virgin/Lifeline) in 1:55.1 over 1690m in the Doug’s Bakery Pace and impressive two-year-old debutant filly Our Celebrity (Mach Three/Celebrity Ball) in the J & A Mazzetti Sapling Stakes over 1690m in 1:57.8.
Lang drove Heavens Trend, Lovelist, Yankee Rockstar and Mick Blackmore-trained Claudys Princess to victory in the McIvor Estate Kilmore Trotters Cup over 3150m from the standing start, the five-year-old Bacardi Lindy/All Finesse mare rating 2:06.8 to score a half-head win over Michael Thomas in second, with Sun Of Anarchy in third.
Other winners on the night were four-year-old mare Keayang Ebonyrose (Village Jolt/Secret Twirl) in the Vicbred Platinum Mares Sprint Championship 14th Heat over 1690m in 1:56.5 for trainer Marg Lee and driver Jason Lee, five-year-old gelding Fiery Blue Chip (by Santanna Blue Chip out of Scarlet Fire) for trainer Sonya Smith and driver Anthony Butt in the Peninsula Meats Eureka Series 2nd Heat over 2180m in 2:00.6, Glory Daze for David Aiken and Josh Aiken in the Hanson Cleaning Vicbred Pace, the four-year-old mare by Bettors Delight out of Dazed And Confused rating 2:00.9 over 2180m with an all-the-way success from the pole, The Sparrow Hawk for Brent Lilley and Butt in the Momentum Gaming Pace over 2180m, the handy three-year-old gelding by Gotta Go Cullen out of Starling rating 2:01.6, and Est Est Est for Neville and Clinton Welsh in the F&M Supplies Vicbred Platinum Country Series M 2nd Heat over 2180m, the four-year-old Majestic Son/Enotheque trotting mare rating 2:07.1.
The action continues today with the running of the Boort Cup meeting.
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