David Murphy continued his strong form at Ballarat last night with a win to his trotter, Monica My Dear.
Race caller Dan Mielicki had his work cut out for him at the end of the Peter McErvale Real Estate T1/T2 Trot on Tuesday night at Bray Raceway, Ballarat (see picture at bottom of article).
In the finish Dunnstown trainer/driver David Murphy’s Monica My Dear ($1.60) dead-heated with Daylesford trainer Bob Conroy’s Chipmont Lad ($24).
Seven-year-old Monica My Dear (It Is I/Biddy My Dear) was given the run of the race from pole, trailing speedy The Dutchman from four, whereas nine-year-old Band Of Chips/Kept Lady gelding Chipmont Lad spent most of the race three-back in the moving line.
Gaining an inside run in the home straight, Monica My Dear hit the front before Chipmont Lad launched late to grab a share of the spoils with the mare in a mile rate of 2:05.4.
Race favourite Nomistakingpegasus was a nose away in third place after racing in the open, with Lombo Scrutinizer (three-back the markers) a nose off in fourth place with only a half-neck back to Mygreekkalesa, who had raced one-one.
Rockbank trainer Joe Vassallo has five-year-old Village Jasper/Stunning Impact gelding Stunning Jasper on top of his game and brought up win number six in 34 goes by taking out the Diamond Rewards Join Now Trotters Mobile over 2200 metres.
Using a concession for Melton reinsman Zac Phillips, Stunning Jasper was trapped out three-wide from gate six early as Phillips restrained to possie five-back in the running line.
Polemarker Dora Pepperell led but was given no respite by a hard-pulling Bubba Macray from gate five.
Easing three-deep in the final lap, Stunning Jasper was accommodated by William John, who came out ahead of him, but when the latter square gaiter was going nowhere Stunning Jasper had to swing deeper still at the final bend.
Dora Pepperell had a kick early in the stretch but the fuel she had to burn early eventually caught up with her, Stunning Jasper motoring down the outside to score a runaway 4.3-metre win in 2:02.4, with Ballan Road finishing on for third after a cushy run.
Glen Park father/son Bassie and Zac Steenhuis combined to capture the National Tiles Trotters T0 over 2200 metres with much-improved Great Success/Calder Image four-year-old mare Raceway Calder in 2:05.2.
Settling well back in the field from gate two on the second line, Raceway Calder was sent forward three-wide on the last lap and sustained the effort to blouse pacemaker Drunken Maniac in the last couple of bounds for a 1.1-metre win with Opia third.
On what proved a great night for the Ballarat district, Mitchell Park trainer Craig Knowles had a win with five-year-old Aces N Sevens/Cornelia Lass gelding Seven And A Half in the Haymarket Pacers Handicap over 2200 metres.
Taking a lift for Bendigo junior reinsman Haydon Gray, Seven And A Half stepped well from three before taking the lead from Bucksaroo.
At the finish the pacemaker had too many guns for a death-seating Dual Agent Tabman and Soho Cruise, the latter who came from three-back the markers. The mile rate was 2:00.5.
Ross Creek trainer Norm McVitty was also a winner on the program, much to the chagrin of favourite punters.
Four-year-old Safari/Safe Touch mare Mymumsabankmanager greeted the judge first in the Mega Merch Pace Final over 2200 metres.
With Greg Sugars in the sulky, Mymumsabankmanager ($33.90) came from the tail of the field on straightening with a withering finishing burst out very wide to knock off leader Christian Torado by a half-neck in 2:00.2, putting an end to most quaddie takers, with Jimmy The Editor third after circling the field to punch the breeze.
Terang’s Mat Craven combined with cousin Jason Lee to land the Sportsmens Association of Australia Pace over 2200 metres with talented five-year-old Faraway Man in 1:59.6.
Despite racing in the open from gate three with the opening favourite Allies Mate (gate two) leading, Faraway Man was always a length off the pacemaker travelling under a tight rein.
Creeping forward approaching the home turn, Faraway Man headed the leader halfway up the run and just held by a neck from No Bettertime (three-back the markers) and I Am Louie, which trailed the leader.
Maiden Gully trainer Maree Campbell has her small but select team on fire at present and Union Ally a Union Guy/Ally Shazam filly brought up two wins in a row by taking the Graffrey Homes 3YO Pace over 2200 metres.
Driven patiently by Sugars, Union Ally enjoyed a cosy passage three-back the markers after starting from the pole and when extricated into the clear to be three-wide on the final bend, ran home stylishly to gain the day by 2.2 metres in advance of the first-starter Kotare York, which faced the open from the bell, with Phantom Rockstar third after leading.
The mile rate 1:59.1.
