Eight year old Armbro Invasion/Motu Avrill gelding Motu Young Jacob trained at Melton by Lance Justice has an impeccable record in the “Monte” events (four wins from six tries) prior to the event and added another to his tally when successful in the Combined Probus Club of Point Lonsdale Monte at Geelong on Tuesday April 22.
With regular rider Daryl Douglas in the saddle, Motu Young Jacob ($1.40) who would have been giving some of his rivals up to 100 metres start had it been a standing start event, strode straight to the front from outside the front row, leading throughout to win untouched by 11 metres in advance of Go Ahead Make My Day (Paul Hamblin) which trailed in a rate of 2-03.2, with Chipmont Lad (Glenn Conroy) a further 45.3 metres away in third place.
It was Motu Young Jacob’s 19th victory in 122 outings.
Lance Justice was himself a winner when six year old Tinted Cloud/Disbar gelding Discrimination scored in the Jims Mowing Pace for C4 & C5 class over 1609 metres.
Starting from the pole, Justice allowed the hot favourite Courageousnquick (gate three) to cross hime as the start was effected, before moving around the leader shortly after leaving Shakti Bromac (gate four) in the open.
Tackled by Shakti Bromac, Hes Kinky (three wide) and Our Crime Of Passion (four wide from last) on the final bend, Discrimination fought off all challengers to score by 1.7 metres over Shakti Bromac which didn’t shirk the issue and Hes Kinky in the rate of 1-59.8. Courageousnquick (backed into an odds-on favourite) was extremely disappointing in finishing fourth after using the sprint lane to no avail.
Cleverly named Bacardi Lindy/Hiona Mountaim gelding Drunken Maniac was an impressive winner off the Vinmar Homes 3-Y-0 Trotters Handicap over 2100 metres for Bacchus Marsh trainer Alan Tubbs and daughter reinsperson Amy Tubbs.
Raced by Paul and Brian Dobson along with Frank (Mickey) Spillane and Pat Camm, Drunken Maniac stepped cleanly from a 10 metre handicap to possie mid-field, with Chris Alford adopting “catch me if you can tactics” aboard Twelve Or A Dozen and opening up a big lead.
Commencing a forward move in the back straight on the final occasion, Drunken Maniac ran home stylishly to register a 2 metre victory in a rate of 2-05.5 from the roughie Ropeburn which was second for most of the trip after jumping to the front as the tapes released, with Zharis Idol a game third after doing all of the work in the open for the majority of the race.
Long Forest trainer Trent Medcraft would have been beside himself following the victory of four year old Ponder/Miss Discoteque mare Floweronthewall in the James & Son Pace for C0 class over 1609 metres.
A winner in restricted grade at her last outing, Floweronthewall was stepping up in class, but proved equal to the task.
Driven by former neighbour Alex Ashwood, Floweronthewall from gate four was given the run of the race trailing the leader Cenosilocophobia which cleared her rivals easily from outside the front line.
Using the sprint lane, Floweronthewall raced by a large number of owners including the Medcraft family, bounded clear over the concluding stages to score by seven metres over the hot favourite Lady Patti (three wide solo last lap from near last at the bell) and Awesome Mattjesty (one/two) in a rate of 1-59.3.
Ashwood was to chalk up a double after guiding Live Or Die/El Sorn four year old gelding World Famous to victory in the Chas Cole Cellars Pacers Handicap for C1 or better class over 2100 metres for “boss” Dean Braun in a comfortable mile rate of 2-03.5.
Stepping cleanly from outside the front row, World Famous was trapped three wide before striding clear of polemarker Prettyboytoby in the back straight on the first occasion.
Rated to perfection at the head of affairs, Alex was never flustered, allowing World Famous to coast to the wire ahead of the 40 metre backmarker Master Pip
(three wide from bell), with Prettyboytoby using the sprint lane for third.
