Matt Craven made Hamilton his own on Wednesday.
The Hamilton HRC fixture held on Wednesday April 23 belonged to Terang’s Craven family who provided no less than six winners on the eight event card.
Matthew Craven enjoyed a “days of days” , finishing with a driving quartet.
Ararat trainer Phillip Ralph employed the services of Craven to take the Mahncke Racing Stables Vicbred Pace for C0 class over 1660 metres with twenty two start maiden Shaka The Baker, a 6-Y-0 son of Shakamaker and Valuable Reason.
Beginning swiftly from outside the front line, Shaka The Baker was able to trail the poleline leader Rocket Trip, enjoying the run of the race.
Using the sprint lane, Shaka The Baker greeted the judge a neck clear over Never Let Me Go which raced in the open from the bell, with Raw Steel third off a three wide trail last lap. The mile rate 1-59.9.
Local trainer David Lewis provided Craven with his second winner when beautifully bred Grinfromeartoear/Jolaura gelding Smileaway Jo scored in the Alexandra House 3-Y-0 Pace over 2160 metres.
Starting from the extreme draw, Smileaway Jo settled momentarily three back in the moving line, before going forward to park outside the pacemaker Little Lyn (gate two).
Applying plenty of pressure to the leader approaching the final bend, Smileaway Jo outstayed Little Lyn to register a 5.7 metre margin on the wire, with Usage third after trailing the front runner from the bell. The mile rate 1-59.8.
The Rob Barker Pace for C1 class over 1690 metres gave Matt Craven a hat-trick of wins, when polemarker Franciselizabeth trained at Burrumbeet by Ashleigh Herbertson led throughout to easily account for Steely Blue which followed him all of the way from inside the second line. Glenburn Rock finished third after facing the breeze from gate four.
A 5-Y-0 daughter of It Is I and Vikema, Franciselizabeth recorded her second victory in nine outings, returning a mile rate of 1-59.
Matt then snared the fast class event of the afternoon – the Permewans Pace for C4 to C6 class over 2160 metres piloting six year old Armbro Operative/Narra Skipper gelding Narra Operative for Great Western’s Peter Manning.
Starting solo on the second line, Narra Operative was given an easy passage trailing Galleons Warrior from the pole which was kept honest by a fierce racing Boyz Torque, a stablemate of the winner.
Using the sprint lane, Narra Operative appreciated a drop in class after contesting the Cup circuit and sailed away to score by 6.3 metres from Electric Ollie (one/one) and Boyz Torque in a rate of 1-58.3.
It was Narra Operative’s 14th victory (three this season) in 102 outings.
Terang’s Marg Lee (a member of the Craven clan) combined with nephew Glen Craven (Matt’s brother) to land the King’s Bakery Cafe Trotters Handicap over 2160 metres with lightly raced Salute Branach, a nine year old Keystone Salute/Amanda Branach gelding in a mile rate of 2-03.7.
Raced by son Paddy, Salute Branach making his fifth race appearance possied beautifully one/one from the 10 metre mark poised to pounce for the entire trip.
Easing three wide in the back straight on the final occasion, Salute Branach led on the final bend, before blowing his rivals away to score by a huge 40.9 metres in advance of Allawart Ugo from last and Lovable Nick which trailed the pacemaker The Final Cut after leading in the early stages.
Glen Craven chalked up a double when successful aboard Ashleigh Herbertson’s four year old Metropolitan/Sneak Peak mare Citysneak in the Dunn Racing Stables Pace for C1 class over 2160 metres, leading throughout from gate four to defeat the hot favourite I Wantano (gate two) driven by Matt which trailed using the sprint lane to go down by half a head and the Mount Gambier hope Amusing Cruiser (one/two – three wide last lap) in a rate of 1-59.4.
Cousin Jason Lee then stepped in and snared the Ian McLeod Pace for C2 & C3 class over 1660 metres on the Julian Jobe (Bungaree) trained six year old gelding Cobargo Jack.
Exploding away from outside the front line to lead running into the first turn, Cobargo Jack was always travelling on a tight rein and when given an inch of rein on straightening, raced clear to score by 5.2 metres in a rate of 1-57.1 from Amberlu Angus (Matt Craven) which raced in the open, with Shanira third after following the leader.
Matt Craven almost brought up a quintet, finishing second aboard the David Lewis trained Game Deliver (one/one) to Peter Tonkin’s all the way victor Mad Robber in the final event of the day – the Logical Property Services Pace for C0 class over 2160 metres.
