Dean Braun and Chris Alford scored another memorable success with Macho Comach in Sunday's Cup.
Harness racing returned to the grass roots level on Sunday December 15, when one of the oldest clubs in the state - Wedderburn situated in Central Victoria held their once a year program at Donaldson Park, featuring the $12,000 Travel Managers Wedderburn Pacing Cup for C5 or better class (Discretionary Handicapped) over 2555 metres.
Country cups king Dean Braun added another to his tally, when ex-Kiwi five year old Royal Mattjesty/Alberts Daughter gelding Macho Comacho was victorious much to the delight of excited owners Tony and Pam Coniglio who are staunch stable supporters.
Starting from barrier two on the 10 metre line, Macho Comacho was lucky to avoid trouble at the start as Narra Operative galloped away veering inwards and tipped John Caldow from the sulky of Jordylan who was in-between the pair.
Three of the roughies were best to begin, polemarker Amadmancomesundone, Flash Of Freedom (barrier three) and King Of Paradise (barrier two), with Macho Comacho lobbing three back in the running line following Master Pip.
King Of Paradise was driven desperately by Matt Craven to cross and did so entering the front straight with two laps to travel, this left Master Pip in the open and Macho Comacho one/one, with Flash Of Freedom relegated to three back the markers after lobbing on the back of Amadmancomesundone.
Chris Alford let rip with Macho Comacho mid-race and had little difficulty in reaching the lead, with the 20 metre equal backmarker Uncle Wingnut circling the field from near last to occupy the “death-seat”, with Master Pip again one/one..
The three leaders cleared right away in the final circuit and although hard driven approaching the home turn, Macho Comacho answered the call to score by 2.9 metres over Master Pip which switched down to trail the winner on the final bend and use the sprint lane, with Uncle Wingnut again game in finishing 1.4 metres away in third place. Allrightythen ran on late from a mile back to take out fourth place.
With quarters of 30.9, 32.4, 29.1 and 29.1,Macho Comacho recorded a mile rate of 2-01.7.
Formerly trained in New Zealand’s South Island by Terry and Glenys Chmiel, Macho Comacho has registered five wins from seven outings on Australian soil.
The other highlight during the afternoon being the $10,000 Richmond & Associates Wedderburn Trotters Cup for T5 or better class (D-H) over the same distance which saw honest five year old Sundon/Wheels To Go gelding Wildenstein successful in a mile rate of 2-06.8.
Bred and raced by Graham Mulhall, trained at Elmore by Neville Welsh and driven by son Clinton, Wildenstein began brilliantly from barrier five to lead, before surrendering to the well supported Im Demimondaine which eased off his back entering the back straight on the first occasion.
With plenty of action up front as John Justice sent Retained forward to race in the open, not allowing Kerryn Manning aboard Paparazzi Snapshot to pass him, the tempo mid-race was slick.
Still in front halfway up the running, Im Demimondaine was passed by Wildenstein in the sprint lane, with the roughie Waikare Sun trailing him through to finish second giving Sundon the quinella, with another roughie Regal Equation (one/one – three wide home turn) third. The margins being 2.4 X 2.1 metres.
The trifecta paid a massive $7290.
It was Wildenstein’s 9th victory in 47 outings.
