Mark Purdon continues to roll out plenty of good horses on his way to another Breeders Crown series.
Heats for the two-year-old colts and geldings division of the Breeders Crown highlighted last night’s Bendigo meeting and short-price punters almost got the lot with three of the four favourites landing the prize.
The qualifiers kicked off in Race two on the night and to the surprise of most, the race turned into a battle in the straight.
On paper, All Eyes On Us was sent out the $1.10 favourite and was expected to trounce his rivals at his first Victorian start but Vicbred Super Series semi-final winner Hectorjayjay had different ideas.
Beginning brilliantly from the second row, Hectorjayjay quickly whipped around the field to take up the early lead before the mid-race pressure came.
All Eyes On Us was able to take up the running but going off the back he looked to be feeling the pinch of some solid middle fractions.
The impossible appeared to be happening on turning into the straight with Hectorjayjay re-claiming the lead but Luke McCarthy was able to lift the long odds-on chance in the lane, fighting back to score by a neck.
Loong Nien, who had the trail three-back on the pegs, safely held third albeit close to 10 metres in arrears of the quinella.
The winner rated 1:58.3 with quick splits recorded for the first (28.8secs) and last (28.7secs) quarters. The last half came in 59.2secs.
Major Secret continued on his winning-ways in the second qualifier with a comfortable win in a mile rate of 2:00.4.
The Emma Stewart-trained Vicbred Super Series Champion exploded off the arm to find the top from six and from there he was able to record a couple of cheap sectionals before letting rip at the half mile.
Tooram Lad, who was able to hold the leaders back from his polemarking draw, loomed along the sprint lane as they straightened but couldn’t reel in the $1.50 chance, clocking in just over four metres away.
Bespoke Artist ran home well from back in the field for David Aiken and Chris Alford while Royal Capone, on debut, defied his odds to hold on for fourth.
The last half (57.3secs) was split relatively evenly with a 28.8sec third quarter and a 28.5sec final sectional.
Motor Smoker became the first, and last, juvenile to roll his more favoured rival on the night and it was a race that produced the most thrilling finish.
Adam Kelly’s Handsome Major garnered the most tote support following the scratching of likely favourite Zacharia and from the inside of the second row, Gavin Lang had him out and running to find the lead mid-race.
With Big Bang Leonard on his back, and Motor Smoker carting in three-wide, the race turned into a three-way war in the straight.
Handsome Major was holding Big Bang Leonard at Bay but Motor Smoker put in the big strides down the outside to claim the pair as they hit the line.
The margins of a head by a short-half-head made it a narrow but memorable double for Luke McCarthy in the gig, as he took the reins for trainer Susan Hunter who has had Motor Smoker race with distinction through his seven-start two-year-old career.
The mile rate clocked in at 2:01.0 as they sprinted home in a 57.9sec last half, highlighted by a 28.6sec last quarter.
It was a three race wait until the final heat of the night, but it was a performance worth waiting for.
Kiwi legend Mark Purdon produced Messini from gate four and when the $1.10 favourite found the lead in the early stages it was all but race over.
He cruised around the Bendigo circuit for the second time in a month, dismantling his Breeders Crown rivals by over 13 metres at the post.
Another Safari, Heathbern Star and Theartofconfusion all toiled bravely to fight out the minors but the New Zealand native was off and gone in the lane.
Easily recording the fastest last half of the quartet of qualifiers, he charged home in 56.1secs with a last half of 28.1secs. His mile rate, again the quickest, in 1:58.1.
The countdown to Super Sunday (August 18) is well and truly on, in just over three weeks’ time the best available pacers and trotters in Australasia will do battle on a showpiece day for the sport.
