Highview Tommy nabs Sushi Sushi to claim Saturday night's Ballarat Cup
Highview Tommy played the role of party pooper when he caused the biggest upset in Ballarat Cup history at Bray Raceway on Saturday night.
The $125,000 Group 1 PETstock Ballarat Pacing Cup brought together Australian harness racing’s undisputed king, Smoken Up, and the heir apparent, Sushi Sushi, but it was the despised outsider who went away with the prize.
The six-year-old entire, who started at a whopping $102, unleashed a paralysing burst from the second half of the field to nab a brave Sushi Sushi in the final bound and deny the local champ a 17th straight victory.
The win completed an unbelievable night for Purdon, especially in photo finishes, with Auckland Reactor claiming The Pure Steel by a nose and I Can Doosit dead-heating with I Didnt Do It in an Inter Dominion trotters heat.
Purdon knew his charge, who disappointed in last week’s Shepparton Cup, needed the race to be run perfectly to be a chance and he was happy to play the role of villain.
“It was a real truly-run race and that’s one thing about this little guy, he follows the pace well and it doesn’t matter how hard they go he can come out and still run a nice quarter,” Purdon said. “Just having a nice run in transit and having the last run at them paid dividends.”
Highview Tommy launched a searching run from the quarter pole to run down Sushi Sushi.
The superstar four-year-old was posted three-wide for the first 800m from his outside-front-row-draw and just when he looked like getting some respite after finding the spot outside the leader, driver Greg Sugars pushed on to claim the lead with Smoken Up looming large.
The Victoria Cup winner ensured the 2710-metre event was run at a solid tempo, but he was the first to feel the pinch and he was under extreme pressure from substitute reinsman Chris Alford before the 400m.
That allowed Sushi Sushi ($1.90 fav) to skip clear early in the straight and the Freddy Taiba-trained star still led by eight metres midway down the straight, but couldn’t withstand the burst of Highview Tommy, who prevailed by a half head.
Although not a winning proposition from before the turn, Smoken Up ($2.60) fought on well in the straight to claim third, four metres away.
After a lead time of 1:22.1, the splits were covered in 29.8, 29.1, 28.6 and 28.3secs for a 1:57.5 mile rate. That was just 0.2secs outside Stunin Cullen’s track record, set in last year’s Ballarat Cup.
Sushi Sushi’s first defeat since the 2010 Breeders Crown 2YO Final was hard to take for Sugars, but he consoled himself with the knowledge that the Art Major gelding belongs on the Grand Circuit.
“I kicked clear at the top of the straight and thought we were home and hosed until I heard those footsteps coming down the outside,” Sugars lamented.
“But I’m absolutely wrapt. That was his first time in Group 1 (open) company and to go down right on the linen, and to run those times on this track is pretty special, so there are only good things to come in the future.”
With the Ballarat Cup in the bag, Purdon will strive to emulate Stunin Cullen, who backed up to win the $425,000 Group 1 Hunter Cup seven nights after his Ballarat success.
“He’s a great little stand start horse usually, so we’ve got the Hunter Cup lined up for him,” Purdon said.
It gives Purdon a two-pronged attack in Australia’s richest standing start event, which will be run at Melton's Tabcorp Park next Saturday night, after Auckland Reactor booked his spot earlier in the night in the $20,000 Sky Racing The Pure Steel.
Although he only fell in from Lets Slash An Burn, with country cup performer Pocket Boy less than a metre away third, he did sit parked for the last 1600m at his first run since late October and his 2:00.6 mile rate carved one second off Bondy’s track record.
“Although he didn’t get there by much, it’s still a good effort in Australia having not raced for so long,” Purdon said.
