Gavin Lang is keen to score one more Group 1 win aboard Kept For Pleasure this season
Gavin Lang has made a habit of notching milestones this August and he will go in search of another at Moonee Valley tonight.
The champion Melton reinsman will be out to equal his personal best haul of 11 Group 1 winners in a season when he teams with Kept For Pleasure in the $100,000 Australian Pacing Gold 3YO Fillies Final.
A hat-trick of Breeders Crown titles at Bendigo on “Super Sunday”, August 17 not only saw Lang join Chris Alford as the equal most successful reinsman in Breeders Crown history with five wins apiece, it took to 10 the number of elite-level races he has won this season.
He has won the Victoria Cup behind Robin Hood, the Victoria-Australian Oaks double with Kept For Pleasure, the Victoria Derby with Tanabi Bromac, South Australian Derby with Maffioso, a Vicbred final on Shez Ryleymak and the APG 2YO Colts and Geldings Final with Bus To Harland.
A third Group 1 win aboard Kept For Pleasure would see Lang, who last Friday night drove a winning double to seal his maiden metro drivers’ premiership, match his 2003/04 Group 1 haul.
Three horses provided Lang with eight of his top-flight wins in that stellar season. The Sentry won the Victoria, Australian and South Australian Derbys, Sumthingaboutmaori snared the Inter Dominion Trotters Grand Final, Australian Trotting Grand Prix South Australian Trotters Cup, while Persistency claimed the Tasmanian Pacing Championship and Kilmore Cup.
Lang also won the Ladyship Mile with Sassy Sarah, the New South Wales Oaks with Self Denial and the Vicbred Super Series 4YO Mares Final with Ashlees Babe.
But even if Kept For Pleasure fails in her event at 8.42pm, Lang will get one more chance to equal his record at what is the final metropolitan meeting of the season.
He will partner the Paul Fitzpatrick-trained Esprit De Kayjay in tonight’s other $100,000 APG final, the three-year-old colts and geldings decider, to be run at 9.42pm.
Breeders Crown consolation winner Esprit De Kayjay, runner-up to Breeders Crown champion Magic Operative in his APG heat, will roll from barrier four in the event also containing Whiskey And Ice (five), Maffioso (six), Magic Operative (seven) and Rohan Home (10).
TAB Sportsbet rates Esprit De Kayjay an $18 chance behind Maffioso ($1.60 fav), Rohan Home ($5.50), Magic Operative ($5.50) and Whiskey And Ice ($15), but Kept For Pleasure will start favourite in the fillies final.
She is a $2.40 chance from barrier five, clear of Dazed And Confused ($2.80), Breeders Crown winner Muscle Beach ($6) and Lady Lexus ($7).
