Jason Lee, pictured driving Mark Dennis to victory at Melton, was in fine form at Ararat today with three winners.
Victoria’s western district tracks continue to be a happy hunting ground for Terang whiz Jason Lee.
Lee had a winning treble at Ararat today, driving two winners for trainer/mother Marg Lee – Liston in the Hygain Claiming Pace and Keayang Starzzz in the John Hayes Pace – and guiding longshot Emma Jade home in the Jemima Kingston Pace for Camperdown horseman Tony Chisholm.
Liston, 10 years old, grabbed the spot behind the leader’s back early when Chris Alford took second-favourite Wilusi Blues to the front in the 2195m claimer.
Turning for home Lee took Liston through along the sprint lane and the son of Falcon Seelster/Dougs Choice hit the line hard for a 4.9-metre success in 2:01.3.
The victory was Liston’s second in a row.
Five-year-old Four Starzzz Shark/Sayaka gelding Keayang Starzzz scored his 10th win at start number 29 today, taking out the C3-C4 2195m race in a rate of 2:00.1.
Keayang Starzzz had 1.3m to spare over a rocketing Arr En Special at the finish.
Four-year-old mare Emma Jade capped Lee’s treble in the last race for C0 pacers over 1790m, outgunning Watchmaka Lombo by a neck in a rate of 2:01.8 over the 1790m trip.
Emma Jade, who paid $19.10, is by Safari out of Dianne Valerie and was having just her second career start.
Paying Your Way was an impressive winner in the 3YO Carol and Terry Hunt Pace over 1790m for trainer Rob O’Connell and concession reinsman Zac Phillips.
The colt by Live Or Die out of Heavenly Pocket timed his run to perfection at $5.30 to beat $2.90 favourite Sketchman by a neck in 2:00.4 with $3.10 second-favourite Thebackpagescribe third and 3.5m behind the victor.
Driver Charlie Borg combined with Melton trainer Douglas Adams in the Ron Praag Pace over 2195m.
The mare by Metropolitan out of Armbro Sunshine had lined up 26 times for no wins before today but you wouldn’t have thought it possible given he won by a whopping 43 metres!
Lucky Metro rated 2:01.2.
Punters were clobbered in the Ross Healy Trot (2nd Heat) with Brett Shipway trained Ships Spur ($35.40) outgunning Columbias Deejay and Ropeburn over the 2195m.
Ships Spur’s 2.3m triumph was the six-year-old Pegasus Spur/Speedy Rose entire’s fifth win from 60 goes.
Odds-on favourite Royal Dream was disappointing in fourth, the winner’s mile rate 2:05.9.
Kerryn Manning’s smart five-year-old Washington VC/Az Gold mare Nokomai took out the Darren Hunt Pace over 1790m.
Nokomai whipped around to punch the breeze outside leader Mulgrave mid-race but packed too much punch for it in the run to the line for a 3.7m triumph in a rate of 1:59.8.
Peter Tonkin and Daryl Douglas combined to capture the Sheridan Carter Pace (1st Heat) over 2195m with four-year-old Robin Hood/Im Makin Waves entire Mad Robber.
Mad Robber had run three seconds this time in so was bursting to win one, and he was 4.2m too strong for Always Wantano today in a rate of 2:00.4.
