Zac Phillips, pictured here behind Veranjee, drove an outstanding race at Echuca on Tuesday with Juke Kartel.
Teenage reinsman Zac Phillips produced without doubt the “drive of the night” at the Echuca meeting on Tuesday October 1, when successful aboard eight-year-old E Dees Cam/Universal Alice gelding Juke Kartel in the Book Christmas Functions Now Pace for C1 class over 1755 metres.
Raced by Judith Ferrie, Juke Kartel trained in Melton by Robbie O’Connell (Zac’s boss) after being in several different camps since he first graced the track, positioned on the back of the pole mark pacemaker and favourite Find Time To Cruise after starting outside the front row, receiving the run of the race.
Easing outside the leader on the final bend, Juke Kartel put the race beyond doubt in a couple of bounds as he raced away over the concluding stages to score by 14.1 metres in a rate of 1-59.2 from Find Time To Cruise and Statelyness which recovered after a check at the start when Swift Sita, which she was following, galloped away.
The annual Don Guy Memorial Pace for C1 class over 2160 metres, named after one of the all-time great trots trainers in the state, who‘s stables were situated on the raceway, went the way of Elmore trainer Matt Higgins’ honest seven-year-old Blissful Hall/Armatrix mare Nova Arama with Brian Gath in the sulky, returning a mile rate of 2-03.8.
Raced by mother Betty Welsh, Nova Arama led throughout from gate two, accounting for Chiquita Bromac which trailed giving Elmore the quinella. Jialiner (one/one) finished third.
Rochester’s Mark Thompson kept his impeccable record at the track going when five-year-old Christian Cullen/Life Of Perfection gelding Stonethachristian driven by Ararat’s Michael Bellman greeted the judge in the Lara Judd Pace for C0 class over 2160 metres.
Starting from gate two, Stonethachristian was unable to cross Attack On Command inside him at the start, but after persisting, strode to the front in the back straight on the first occasion.
Appearing to be in trouble on straightening when Life Long Voyage off a three wide trail last lap from mid-field issued a strong challenge, Stonethachristian under desperate driving kept on giving to score by a half head in a rate of 2-02, with Hezupnabout (one/one – three wide last lap) third.
Local trainer Peter Lindberg combined with son Steve to land the John & Ethel Munroe Pace for C1 class over 1755 metres with six-year-old Dawn Ofa New Day/I Like Sunshine mare Kanyapellasunshine.
Racing under banner of Echuca Sulkys Pty Ltd, Kanyapellasunshine bred by the Lindberg family began swiftly from gate three to lead easily before winning in advance of the favourite Composiite which used the sprint lane to no avail (the margin a neck) after trailing from the pole, with Our Ponzi third off a three wide trail last lap. The mile rate 2-01.6.
Five year old Bettors Delight/Spirited Storm entire Stormed Out taking a concession for Josh Duggan was an impressive winner of the Echuca West Primary School Pace for C2-3 class over 2160 metres in a rate of 2-00.7.
Trained by Chris Alford at Bolinda, Stormed Out (gate four) spent the entire race parked outside the leader and hot favourite Timeseel from the Mark Thompson camp, before outstaying him to score by 1.3 metres. The Riverina visitor Ultimate Sheldon (one/one) finished third 2.3 metres away.
Narrandera trainer Jackson Painting loves coming to Echuca and rarely goes home without a winner, Tuesday being no exception as four-year-old Four Starzzz Shark/Inside Pocket mare Shootforthestarzzz had an easy victory in the Petstock Echuca Pace for C0 class (mares) over 2160 metres.
Driven by the stable reinsman Blake Jones, Shootforthestarzzz led throughout from the pole and was never out of second gear, leaving her rivals standing on the home turn to register a 3.8-metre margin over Glenferrie Diva which raced in the open giving the quinella to NSW, with Ariosa (one/three – four wide last lap) third. The mile rate 2-01.8.
