The two mandatory meetings were held in Victoria on Thursday July 11, with Shepparton racing during the afternoon and Ballarat at night.
The Shepparton fixture was dominated by the Goulburn Valley area and Bendigo, while the Melton district prevailed at Ballarat.
At Shepparton, Wahring trainer Daniel Jack combined with brother Nathan aboard smart Kiwi-bred Attorney General/Eastwood Jean gelding Owen John in the Saddleworld Three-Year-Old Pace over 2190 metres.
Leading out from gate four, Owen John was restrained to take a trail on another local in Brett Bunfield’s Yerrington Bob to receive the run of the race.
Always travelling kindly, Owen John dashed home along the sprint lane to score by 1.9 metres over the pacemaker in a rate of 2-00.9, with Die Tryin (four back the markers) third for Noel Tyndall to make it a GV trifecta.
Ardmona’s Doc Wilson has five-year-old D M Dilinger/Nora Barnacle gelding Indi Bapu going great guns at present, bringing up two wins in succession when greeting the judge in the Quest Shepparton Pace for C1 class over 1690 metres.
Lobbing one/one from gate four, Indi Bapu was off and running shortly after the start to stride past the leader Modern Lebron which had worked to cross the polemarker No No No No No.
One at the head of affairs, Indi Bapu was allowed to bowl along, before racing clear on straightening to register a 3.1-metre margin in advance of Modern Lebron and Statelyness which followed the pair. The mile rate a slick 1-56.9.
Kialla trainer Steve O’Donoghue’s beautifully bred Lombo Pocket Watch/Lombo La Fe Fe filly Lombo Mini Lamouch made a one act affair of the Elite Horse Transport Three-Year-Old Pace over 2190 metres with Kate Gath in the sulky.
Scorching away from gate five, Lombo Mini Lamouch had her rivals off the bit a long way from home and bounded away on straightening to score by 8.2 metres in a rate of 2-01.2 over the rank outsider Tennaya which trailed, with Gracenator (three wide last lap from the rear) third.
Huntly trainer Anthony Crossland took advantage of a concession for Ash Manton aboard seven-year-old Artiscape/Instrumental gelding Rapid Art Beat to snare the Victorian Equine Group Pace Final for C1 class over 2190 metres in a rate of 2-03.1.
Coming off an all of the way victory in his heat five days earlier, Rapid Art Beat repeated the dose in identical fashion, leading throughout from gate two to score from Lights And Music along the sprint lane from three back the markers, with Rojen Dream also using the sprint lane for third after trailing the winner.
Team Douglas (Glenn and Daryl) were successful with much travelled back in form nine-year-old gelding Megasam in the Hunter Rural Claiming Pace over 2190 metres.
Given a sweet passage on the back of the pole line leader Loose Wire, Megasam a son of Live Or Die and McKool Jaccka used the sprint lane to perfection in defeating Luv Tha Aces Lombo (three wide last lap) and Loose Wire in a rate of 1-59.8.
It was Megasam’s 15th victory in 127 outings, his most recent being at Menangle back in July 2010.
The Ballarat fixture belonged to the Melton area, with no less than five of the eight winners coming out of there.
Beau Tindale combined with Terang’s Matt Craven to land the Share The Power Of The Wish Three-Year-Old Pace over 1710 metres with Jet Laag/Lombo Silhouette colt Soho Wonder, leading throughout from the pole to defeat Phil Chircop’s A Bit Ruthless (one/one) and Big Bang Leonard (John Justice) which trailed the winner, giving the district the trifecta. The mile rate 1-56.3.
Lance Justice did similar aboard three-year-old Art Major/Barogue Pearl gelding Magnificent Art in the Make A Wish Come True Pace for C0 class over 1710 metres, toying with his rivals to record a 9.6-metre runaway victory in 1-58.4 over Hilltop Hustler (one/two – three wide last lap) at his Australian debut, with One Wise Man third after following the runner up home.
Ross and Greg Sugars had another great night, chalking up a stable double with Northern Luck/Lombo Silhouette gelding Annacondar making it three from three in the Laser Electrical Three-Year-Old Pace over 2200 metres and Four-Year-Old Art Major/Valderee gelding Kazaree taking the Westag Pace for C1 class over 1710 metres.
Annacondar which only started racing in June, once again crushed his rivals after being three back in the moving line with a circuit to go, following Cardon Merger three wide in the last lap which had moved around him at the bell.
Finishing strongly, Annacondar scored from Armbro Speedstar and Faraway Man who were both given easy runs along the markers. The mile rate 1-59.3.
Kazaree raced in the open from gate four, outstaying his rivals to register a half head victory from the pacemaker Kankkunen in 1-56.7, with Shifty Shivas (three wide last lap) a head away in third place.
Adam Kelly’s five-year-old Jennas Beach Boy/Supreme Affair gelding Five Oclock Affair returned to the winners list by taking the Ballarat Make A Wish Claiming Pace over 2200 metres in 2-00.9.
Driven on this occasion by Chris Alford, Five Oclock Affair was taken back off the gate from barrier six to settle four back in the moving line, with Real Grit beginning brilliantly inside him to lead for Lance Justice.
Sent forward mid-race to park outside the pacemaker, Alford dictated the terms to suit and Five Oclock Affair proved too strong at the finish, winning by 3.1 metres over Real Grit in 2-00.9, with Gaborone third after trailing the leader and easing three wide halfway up the running. Five Oclock Affair’s last victory had been at Cranbourne in October.
