Every now and then a relatively cheap horse goes on the market and such is the case with five-year-old Art Major/Dream Chaser gelding Sals Mo, who chalked up his fifth victory from as many starts for astute Lara trainer Dean Braun, by taking out the Christmas In The Terrace Book Now Pace at Bray Raceway Ballarat on Thursday.
Driven by Chris Alford who is rapidly closing in on 5000 career wins, Sals Mo did what he likes to do from gate five – run along at the head of affairs.
Although both Regal Knight which has raced outside him for the last half of the journey and Fearless Leader (one/one) issued a challenge in the straight, Sals Mo fought on in grand style to score by 1.7 metres over the pair in a mile rate of 2-00.6.
Daylesford duo Bob Conroy and daughter Anne-Maree scored a well overdue victory with ever reliable S J’s Photo/Patrice Pernod mare Mother Nature in the Join Diamond Rewards Trotters Mobile for T1-2 class over 2200 metres.
Showing no speed at all from gate six, Mother Nature settled at the tail of the field, with Lovable Nick (gate five) crossing Glenn Conroy’s Drop Us A Line (gate two) to lead.
Run at a swift tempo, It could be clearly seen in the last lap that Mother Nature would be in the finish judging by her most recent runs if luck went her way and it did.
After Drop Us A Line surged clear in the straight, Mother Nature after weaving in-between runners was extricated into the clear and finished with a wet sail to gain the day by two metres running away over Drop Us A Line in a Conroy quinella, with the rank outsider Kadabra Dynasty (five back the markers) using inside runs to finish third. The mile rate 2-04.5.
Parwan father and son – David and Brad Barnes were giant killers on the night after six-year-old Falcon Seelster/Crown Defender gelding Coltrane Bromac got the chocolates in the Ferndale Confectionery Pace for C2-3 class over 2200 metres in a rate of 1-58.3.
Given a lovely trip by Brad three back along the markers after Goodtime Veejay had arrested the lead from One Wise Man, Coltrane Bromac was eased to lead the outside division in the back straight on the final occasion, proving too strong over the concluding stages to gain the day in advance of Extricate from near last, with Goodtime Veejay weakening to finish third.
It was Coltrane Bromac’s eighth victory in 72 race appearances.
Great Western’s Peter Manning snared the Laser Electrical Pace for C1 class over 2200 metres with six-year-old Rustler Hanover/Cuddle Me Good gelding Valentino Rustler.
Taking a concession for Terang teenager Jason Lee, Valentino Rustler was slowly away from the pole, settling mid-field along the markers, but was immediately eased away from the inside to move forward and park outside the pacemaker Dance With Mia.
Controlling the race, Valentino Rustler put pay to the leader along the back straight on the final occasion, holding a margin on the final bend.
Although tackled by Ultimate Tycoon and Absolootmagic in the home running, Valentino Rustler kept on giving to score a strong victory over Absolootmagic and Ultimate Tycoon in a mile rate of 1-59.2.
Jason was to chalk up a driving double after piloting the in-form Stephen Clarke (Ross Creek) trained five-year-old Die Laughing/Fleur Delacour mare Isabelle Delacour to a virtual all of the way victory in the Harness Breeders (Vic) Pace for C1-2 class mares over 1710 metres, defeating Metrofromelle and Modern Hitch in 1-57.5.
