Cranbourne has a rich history with plenty of big name winners coming through the track in the past.
Passionate Pearcedale trotting sisters Julie and Jennifer Coventry were “over the moon” at Cranbourne on Saturday August 31, as they are part of a syndicate which race a very smart ex-Kiwi by the name of Mcniven who made it two from two in Australia by taking the Alabar 2YO Pace over 2060 metres.
Trained at Longwarry by Lee Evison who also holds a share in him, Mcniven who did his early racing in the deep south around Winton and Gore was making only his fifth race appearance and shows plenty of promise having now registered two wins and three placings.
Driven by Greg Sugars, Mcniven a gelded son of McArdle and Solitaire, had little difficulty in leading from gate four and was never out of second gear, coasting to the wire to record an untouched 4.6-metre victory in advance of Zuko Dream which trailed, with The Gingerbreadman battling away courageously to be a head away in third place after racing in the open. The mile rate 2-00.4.
The girls love the trots and can be seen at the Cranbourne Saturday morning trials whenever they are held, giving the club a hand with anything that is required.
Lara trainer Dean Braun has made Cranbourne his own this season and apart from capturing the trainers premiership there, produced a quartet of winners during the evening including the quinella in the feature event on the program – the G.D. Wilson Memorial Pace for C6 or better over 2080 metres when four-year-old gelding Magical Telf (Live Or Die/Super Telf) defeated Saab Quality and Pete Of Pan in 1-57.
Four Starzzz Shark/Debrouch gelding Wolowitz landed the Condo’s Horse Transport 3YO Pace, exciting Elsu/Make It Hot three-year-old gelding Chilli Palmer the Hygain Feeds Pace for C0 class and veteran 11-year-old gelding Dartmoor (Dream Away/Janet Quill) the Cranbourne Trainers Bonanza Claiming Pace and in doing so, chalked up his 33rd victory at start number 192.
Another big winner on the night was Ardmona (Shepparton) trainer Doc Wilson’s greatly improved five-year-old D M Dilinger/Nora Barnacle gelding Indi Bapu in the Vicbred Platinum Country Series Final for C1 class over 2080 metres in a rate of 2-01.1.
Driven by partner Donna Castles, Indi Bapu was trapped wide from gate three on the second line before being sent forward to park in the open outside the last start Warragul winner Alina.
Surging clear halfway up the running, Indi Bapu scored by 4.5 metres from Alina, with Me Mate Les (one/one) third.
It was Indi Bapu’s 10th victory in 36 outings.
Champion reinsman Chris Alford smashed the long standing tally of winners for a month by driving 53 winners during August, overtaking Kerryn Manning’s 49 set a number of seasons back.
