Joe Bro appears Kerryn Manning's best hope of providing her with her 100th Victorian winner of the season
Kerryn Manning has reason to be keener than usual for a victory at Moonee Valley tonight.
The world’s most successful reinswoman is just one winner away from what would be her 11th-straight century of winners on Victorian tracks.
A winning double at Launceston on April 12 meant she nailed her national ton when she combined with Will It Matter to win at Stawell on Wednesday, but she hasn’t quite got there in her home state.
The 32-year-old from Great Western heads to the Valley confident that she can get the job done as she drives what is almost certainly the shortest-priced favourite of the night.
Harness Racing Victoria price assessor Bill Hutchison has marked Joe Bro a $1.50 chance from his plum draw of one in the final event of the evening, the Decron Horse Care Trotters Handicap at 10.42.
But Manning might not have to wait until the last to crack the ton. Will It Matter is backing up after his win at Stawell and is Hutchison’s $3.70 favourite in the opening race, the Sky Channel M0 Pace at 6.42.
Manning’s drive in the feature mares’ race of the night, the $20,000 VSB&SA Cinderella Stakes at 8.42pm, is Sophie Pass, who shares favouritism with Kept For Pleasure at $4 in TAB Sportsbet’s fixed odds market.
Manning’s other drives are Our Ellas Fella, a winner of three of his four starts, in the Dallas Building 3YO Pace at 7.12pm and Speedy Naomi in the night’s feature event, the Group 1 2Construct Vicbred 4YO Trotters Final at 10.12pm.
If Manning does get her necessary winner this evening, she won’t be the only driver to have cracked a Victorian century this week.
Gavin Lang achieved the feat when he partnered Jaccka Clive to victory at Bendigo on Wednesday night.
That win capped off a big couple of nights for the Melton reinsman, who drove five winners at Mildura the previous evening.
It was the 10th-straight year that Lang has topped the ton and 25th time in the past 26 seasons that he has “raised the bat”.
Lang and Manning occupy third and fourth positions respectively on the Victorian Drivers’ Premiership. Daryl Douglas is the tearaway leader with 269 wins with Chris Alford in second spot on 141.