King Kong Cooma won the 2008 Tatlow Stakes final for trotters.
Two meetings were held in Victoria on Wednesday May 22, with Maryborough hosting the day fixture and nearby Ballarat racing at night.
Maryborough renowned as the “home of the squaregaiter” staged five trotting events during the afternoon which brought up some interesting results.
Kialla-based Laura Crossland scored a huge victory with former NSW Grinfromeartoear/Rapt In Cotton four-year-old Rapt In A Rainbow in the Glenferrie Farm Sweetheart Trotters Mobile for T0 class (mares) over 2190 metres.
Settling one/one from gate four, Rapt In A Rainbow vacated the prime spot within a lap to park outside the almost un-backable favourite Maidstone Miss ($1.20).
Applying the pressure in the final circuit, the pair drew right away from their rivals with Rapt In A Rainbow ($12.10) outstaying Maidstone Miss to score by an 18.5-metre margin in a rate of 2-04.1, with Diedre Deville a half-neck away in third place after trailing the leader.
Goulburn Valley (Wahring) trainer/driver Daniel Jack’s Sundon/Zhari Belle four-year-old mare Sundons Promise ($13.00) did everything right to snare the Glenferrie Farm Sweetheart Trotters Mobile for T1 to T3 class over 2150 metres.
Settling four back in the moving line from gate four on the second row, Sundons Promise was sent forward three wide solo racing for the bell, sustaining a long run to gain the day over Monica My Dear off the back of the odds-on favourite Purplepeopleater which led and finished third. The mile rate 2-04.6.
Bendigo’s David Van Ryn and nephew Haydon Gray were victorious with Armbro Variable/Pepperell Mistral filly Paris Pepperell ($11.60) landing the Seelite Windows & Doors Maryborough Trotters Oaks Trial over 2190 metres, leading throughout from gate four to easily account for Frances Annie which raced in the open and Safe Leone which trailed the winner. The mile rate 2-02.9.
Two heats of the Tatlow Stakes for Two-Year-Old Trotters over 2190 metres were held – the first going the way of Euroa trainer/driver David Jack’s Majestic Son/Shadows colt Im Stately ($2.10).
Restrained from inside the second line to settle at the tail of the field with Chris Alford’s Twelve Or A Dozen leading, Im Stately (three wide solo) rounded up his rivals in the final circuit to register an 8.2-metre margin over the pacemaker and Coimadai Lodge (three back the markers) who dead-heated for second. The mile rate 2-07.3.
Bolinda trainer/driver Chris Alford’s Yankee Spider/Rockolina gelding Miracle made it four from five with an effortless all of the way victory in the second Heat from gate two.
Travelling smoothly throughout, Miracle cruised to the wire 7.7 metres in advance of Asdenro which raced in the open and Spidergrace (three back the markers) on debut. The mile rate 2-06.3.
At Ballarat, Lawrence (Smeaton) trainer Ken Whelan brought up two wins in a row with much improved Artiscape/Sokismegdbye four-year-old gelding Kisartis in the Niall McConchie Pace for C2 class over 1710 metres.
Driven once again by John Caldow, Kisartis usually a sit-sprinter, was seen in a completely different role by leading throughout from gate three to defeat the hot favourite Bettor Move off a three wide trail in the last lap on the back of the third placegetter Mathias. The mile rate 1-58.2.
Peter Manning’s smart six-year-old Earl/Swell Harbour gelding Earl Harbour resumed with a dominant victory in the Brett Knight Trotters Handicap for T1 or better class over 2200 metres in a rate of 2-03.
First up since March, Earl Harbour, with Greg Sugars in the sulky, started from a daunting 50-metre backmark, spending most of the race at the rear of the field.
Gaining a three wide trail home in the last lap on the back of his stablemate Sunnyandcher, Earl Harbour although very wide on the final bend, rattled home at a great rate to score from the in-form Button Brigade from a mile back, with Happy Hombre (one/one at bell) third.
Melton pair Ross & Greg Sugars were winners at Ballarat, when quality four-year-old Bettors Delight/Machane mare La Machane greeted the judge in the Robert Benoit Tennis Pace for C5 & C6 class over 2200 metres.
Restrained to the rear from outside the front row, La Machane despite making the final bend four wide, charged home to defeat a death-seating Exciteusinthecity by a head in a rate of 1-57.3, with Now Shezaterror (three back the markers) third.
