Blitzthemcalder smashed his rivals, including Habibti and Royal Aspirations, in the Group 1 race run Friday night.
Calder Brings The Payne
Blitzthemcalder returned to peak form last Friday night to claim the $80,000 Group 1 Northern Trotting Derby in New Zealand.
Ross Payne’s young colt never looked comfortable at Alexandra Park at his previous two starts – making mistakes in each – but Payne took the reins himself and nulled any thought of discomfort.
He has always believed that sustained speed is the three-year-old’s key asset and he didn’t die wondering, running along at break neck pace to find and hold the front in the 2700-metre affair.
With his brilliant action on show for all to see, the son of Metropolitan went within a whisker of equalling Stig’s open-class track record.
It was the dire warning that Payne had for his rivals in the next few months that was perhaps even scarier than the win itself.
“I don’t know how fast he could trot over a mile, but Chris (Alford) has told me maybe 1:52 is possible,” Payne said.
Priddy Filly Too Strong In APG
Saturday night was all about David and Lisa Miles as the duo went one-two in the $307,000 Two-Year-Old Fillies APG final.
Mindarie Priddy, who was $1.70 into $1.55 with TAB fixed odds, gave punters some cause for concern when she galloped in the score up.
But David Miles was able to get her back into her gait quickly enough to have her in touch by the time the arm released.
It was a mid-race move by her experienced reinsman and co-trainer, to take the lead, which proved vital in the win.
Manellira worked for much of the race in the death but continued to chip away at her more fancied stablemate upon straightening.
The pair drew away from another Victorian in Fast Flyer who finished in third place for David Aiken and Chris Alford.
Mindarie Priddy was always holding her rivals safely in the run to the line and stopped the clock in 1:57.7.
Muscles Flexed, Job Done
Impressive Hot To Trot 4YO & 5YO Championship winner American Muscle is headed to the paddock following his maiden Group 2 win last Friday night.
The five-year-old son of Modern Art has made Tabcorp Park his own in recent weeks, winning at each of the last three meetings to notch up over $60,000 in that time alone.
While one stars season is winding down, Emma Stewart’s powerful team is bursting at the seams with a surprise inclusion to her Breeders Crown arsenal in the form of Yankee Rockstar.
Promising stablemates Restrepo and Guaranteed will take aim at the Vicbred Super Series in the coming months but they are likely to be joined by the boom juvenile for Super Sunday in August.
Yankee Rockstar’s Lazarus-like recovery from a hairline fracture in the foot means he will return to work within the next fortnight.
Jack's-Attack FFA Ranks
This Friday night’s Bold David FFA has already drawn an impressive set of nominations headlined by last year’s winner Jaccka Clive.
Owner Brendan James has already signalled his intentions to dominate the winter FFA’s and with two feature races already under his belt in the last month he is well on the way.
The David Aiken-trained pacer will take his overall prizemoney to a tick under $500,000 at his 93rd start if he is to win the 2240-metre race worth $20,000.
Brett Cargill has Jack In Flight nominated following his dominant win at Headquarters last weekend. The gelding was well found by punters when leading from seven and is sure to have admirers again.
WA Oaks Next For Frith
With the WA Derby run and won, and a new star of the sport rising in the form of Alta Christiano, punters will eagerly be awaiting the Group 1 WA Oaks at Gloucester Park Friday night.
The man behind Alta Christiano, Gary Hall Senior, will prepare one of the key chances in ex-Kiwi Askmenow who has won both Oaks preludes in recent weeks.
The eastern seaboard will be solely represented by Frith but her trainer Bruce Harpley isn’t concerned about the fillies he will face when crossing the Nullarbor.
“I did my homework with a few guys I know well in Perth and they all told me the fillies here were just an average bunch,” Harpley said.
“That combined with the stakemoney ($150,000) and the fact I didn’t think the travel would bother Frith all made it a very attractive option.”