The Shepparton track has always been prominent in the Victorian trots.
Echuca duo Matt Beecroft (part-owner/trainer) and Steve Lindberg (driver) scored an upset victory with four-year-old Town Champion/Girlsontheavenue gelding Grand Assassin in the Aqua Peel Wangaratta Pace for C0 class over 2190 metres at the Wangaratta HRC fixture held at Shepparton on Tuesday October 15.
Never placed in nine outings going into the race, Grand Champion ($27.90) led throughout from the pole, defeating Gary Pekin’s Attack On Command (three wide last lap from mid-field in the running line, with Narryna Jetstar third after following the winner all of the way from inside the second line. The mile rate 2-03.
Another longshot to score on the night was eight-year-old Dr Ronerrail/Sunny Folly gelding Doctor Sam for Kialla trainer Kevin Mark in the Ken Bevan Builders Trotters Handicap for T1 or better class over 2190 metres.
Driven by Bendigo’s Haydon Gray, Doctor Sam began best from the pole to lead, before surrendering to the pressure of Chevals Racer off the 10-metre mark at the bell.
Using the sprint lane, Doctor Sam raced clear over the concluding stages to register a metre victory over Chevals Racer and Miss Eliza (three back the markers last lap) in a mile rate of 2-05.3.
It was Doctor Sam’s seventh success in 122 outings, the most recent being at Shepparton on February 13.
Local (Kialla) trainer Geoff (Marto) Martin combined with David Moran to land the Gas Honda Motorcycles Wangaratta Pace for C1 class over 2190 metres with former NSW gelding Mister Desirable in a rate of 1-59.1.
A five-year-old gelded son of Real Desire and Nepeans Last Bid, Mister Desirable which had been racing well without winning settled five back in the moving line from gate three on the second line, before trailing Scotts Den three wide in the final circuit.
Sprinting like a gazelle approaching the final bend, Mister Desire raced to the front on straightening and careered away to score by 11.1 metres in advance of Frosty Star along the sprint lane after handing up to the weakening leader Tom Grainger shortly after the start. Cityscape (three back the markers) also used the sprint lane to finish third.
Undera trainer Glenn Freeman has six-year-old Bettors Delight/Maggie Carmel gelding Sword And Pistol airborne at present, bringing up his 11th victory when greeting the judge in the J & T Joinery Wangaratta Pace Final for C1 class over 1690 metres for horses which qualified in the heats held at the Mooroopna HRC meeting on October 6.
Driven by David Moran who wasted no time in easing off the marker line after starting from inside the second row, Sword And Pistol positioned four back in the moving line, before being sent forward racing for the bell to park outside the pacemaker Antigua who was also a heat winner.
Driven vigorously on straightening, it appeared as though Antigua had held on, however the print showed that Sword And Pistol had prevailed by a nose in a finish which tricked many, with Zedaguy (three back the markers) a half head away in third place after being taken into the clear on turning. The mile rate 1-57.5.
Horses trained in the Macedon Ranges figured prominently during the evening, with Braeview Bomber, Revivalist and Crusader Acey all successful.
Braeview Bomber (Courage Under Fire/Braeview Express) trained and driven by Chris Alford snared the Wangaratta Spring Works 3-Y-0 Pace over 2190 metres in a rate of 2-01.1.
First up since April, Braeview Bomber bred and raced by the Ferraro family led for most of the journey, winning by 7.8 metres from Arctic and the first starter Wemen Dot.
Revivalist (Village Jasper/Shiftys Revival) trained and driven by David Miles was victorious in the Byrne Removalists & Storage Pace for C2 class over 1690 metres.
Leading from the pole, Revivalist was surprisingly restrained at the bell to allow her only danger Our Warwick Lad to assume control.
Inclined to race a little fierce in the last lap, Revivalist was eased outside the leader on the final bend and ran home best under a tight rein to score by 2.3 metres in a rate of 1-56.7, with Im Noddy (one/one – three wide last lap) a further 12.6 metres away in third place.
Talented four-year-old Live Or Die/Trustee Mota gelding Crusader Acey (Rod Petroff), had nothing more than a “stroll in the park” in his event after crossing to lead from gate four shortly after the start.
Always in control, Crusader Acey bounded away on turning to register a 10.2-metre margin over Goldiedomic which trailed from the pole, returning a mile rate of 1-57.2. Smokin Tally (three back the markers) finished third.
