Bellas Delight became the first mare in 16 years to complete the Vicbred Super Series/Silver Chalice double at Tabcorp Park last Friday night
Flying four-year-old Bellas Delight extended her winning streak to six and left punters elated and bookies gasping for air with victory in Friday night’s Harness Breeders Victoria Silver Chalice at Melton’s Tabcorp Park.
The Kari Males-trained and Greg Sugars-driven star mare, which hadn’t raced since May 4, assumed the lead mid-race from early speedster Aussie Made Lombo, giving plenty of hope to punters who took the short odds of $1.40.
Sugars’ initiative paid off, the daughter of Bettors Delight powering to a 4m win over Emma Stewart up-and-comer Tara Toplady in 2:46.3 and a mile rate 1:59.5.
The win was Bellas Delight’s 12th from 27 starts and took her career prize money to over $320,000, with victories in last month’s Super Series mares’ final and last year’s Breeders Crown fillies’ final among her top successes.
Bellas Delight has won six of her seven races this season, with her only defeat being an upset narrow defeat at Kilmore in March.
In the Renown Silverware Golden Reign Free For All on Friday, six-year-old mare Broadways Best finally returned to her best form with a half-head win over in-form Lets Slash An Burn.
Driven a treat by Nathan Jack, who finished Friday with a winning double, Broadways Best was happy to allow Geoff Webster aboard Lets Slash An Burn to run to the lead early, positioning behind the leader before bursting through along the sprint lane in the home straight.
Race favourite Make Mine Cullen succumbed to her second defeat in three runs after punching the breeze throughout. She could only manage fifth.
Polemarker Smudge Bromac was third in the race, with veteran Ti Vogliobene showing a win isn’t too far away with a strong-finishing fourth for reinsman Chris Alford. Lets Slash An Burn is also knocking on the door.
Earlier in the night in-form John Justice trotter Kasyanov made it back-to-back successes with a half-neck win in the SEW-Eurodrive Emerging Stars Trotters Handicap.
Kasyanov, a seven-year-old son of Sundon, got home in a tight finish over Maree Caldow-trained Posimistic, with 5.3m further back to Crescent Glory in third.
Race favourite Just A Cracker was well-placed from a back mark before making a mid-race mistake for driver Rodney Petroff, eventually finishing tailed-off last.
Star Gun, who finished fifth, was one of the runs of the race and a win for him at good odds doesn’t look far off.
Jack’s second winner came in the last race with Man Of The World, while Sugars was the other double driver with wins on Bellas Delight and Hall Of Famer.
