26 August, 2004

 

Horse of the Year Contenders

 

Harness Racing Victoria today announced six contenders for the 2003-04 Victorian Horse of the Year title to be awarded at the Vin Knight Medal on 8 September.

 

The six contenders are Jauriol, Mister D G (NZ), Persistency, Sokyola, Sumthingaboutmaori (pictured) and The Sentry.

 

Following the completion of the season next Tuesday night, members of the harness racing media will be invited to cast their vote on the state's most prestigious equine award.

 

Following is a brief summary of each contender's season highlight;

 

Jauriol - Rags to riches story who became the first juvenile trotter to complete the Vicbred-Tatlow-Redwood treble

 

Mister DG* - New Zealand-trained pacer who emulated his mother, Blossom Lady, by winning the Hankook Tyres Hunter Cup

 

Persistency - Courageous veteran who created history winning two Group Ones at the age of nine before succumbing to injury

 

Sokyola - Became just the fifth Victorian-trained pacer in history to pass $1 million in earnings

 

Sumthingaboutmaori - The first Australian horse to win the Inter Dominion Trotting Grand Final since 1988

 

The Sentry - Triple Derby winner who became the first locally-trained winner of the Victoria Derby since 1995

 

* As an NZ-trained pacer Mister D G can only be judged on his seven Victorian appearances.

 

Soky Chases Successive Cups

 

Champion pacer Sokyola has one last chance to impress Horse of the Year selectors when he chases back-to-back victories in the $75,000 Winter Cup at Albion Park (QLD) on Saturday night.

 

Considered unlucky by some to miss Victoria's top honour 12 months ago, the Lance Justice-trained pacer has enjoyed a stellar season and victory in the Cup would provide the icing on the cake.

 

Win, lose or draw on Saturday night the rising eight-year-old will finish the season as Australasia's highest stakes earner having already banked $623,386 in 2003/04.

 

After recently becoming Australasia's 26th millionaire, the flashy chestnut racked up his 57th career victory with a narrow all-the-way win in last Saturday night's Sunshine Sprint at Albion Park.

 

Under this week's preferential draw, Sokyola must overcome the second line (gate 10) in the 2680 metre Cup, but that hasn't dented the confidence of Justice.

 

"Whatever you won last week, put it back on," a confident Justice said. "He'll win, but more easily this time".

 

Inter Dominion champion Jofess, Victoria Cup winner Double Identity and rising stars Camlach and Mustang Fighter are amongst his rivals in the 8.40pm feature.

 

Goldie Back in Action

 

Reigning Victorian Horse of the Year Mont Denver Gold makes his much awaited return to racing this Saturday night at Ballarat.

 

The rising seven-year-old hasn't appeared since a luckless Inter Dominion campaign in Perth last March.

 

The $7000 Barry Sidebottom Free For All (10pm) provides the setting for his racetrack return alongside horses the calibre of Sir Romulus, Dreams To Reality and Vento Rapido.

 

Saturday night's feature event kick starts a campaign aimed at Australasia's premier two mile standing start events, including the New Zealand Cup in November, for the Chris and Barry Alford-trained pacer.

 

Mont Denver Gold has proven himself a specialist under those conditions with a win in the 2003 Hankook Tyres Hunter Cup and an Herculean second in the same event earlier this year.

 

A third successive Hankook Tyres Hunter Cup appearance is on the agenda next February should his form stack up.

 

Future Stars Collide

 

Punters are well advised to have their pens and black books ready for the running of tomorrow night's $20,000 The Graduate at Moonee Valley.

 

The annual season-ending three-year-old standing start feature has become one of the best form races in the industry since its inception in 1997.

 

Past winners include Kilmore Cup hero Western Light, Queensland Derby winner D B Bopper, former Grand Circuit campaigner Troublesome Fella and recent Vicbred Super Series champion Maggies Son who took home this title 12 months ago.

 

Conversely the beaten brigade includes horses the calibre of Jonells Son, Rare Courage, The Chocolates, Harry Moreau and more recently The Good Guy, Vento Rapido, Touch Of Pearl, Burrell and Doyawantitagain.

 

Last Sunday's Breeders Crown runner-up Lennon headlines the 12 horse field with Craig Demmler deputising for Kiwi trainer Mark Purdon in the gig.

 

The 2570 metre feature will be Lennon's maiden standing start appearance and victory would see the rising four-year-old pass $300,000 in earnings.

 

His dangers in the 9.17pm event are the Great Western duo, Regal Dash, who'll start off 10 metres for Andy Gath, and Village Bonus, a frontmarker prepared by Michelle Manning.

 

Like Lennon, Regal Dash, a winner at 10 of his 14 starts, debuts from the tapes, however Village Bonus brings an unblemished record in four standing start appearances to the contest.

 

Gath Sizes Up 4th Title (Part 1)

 

Champion reinswoman Kerryn Gath will officially collect her fourth consecutive Australian & Victorian Drivers Premierships in six days time.

 

The female trailblazer boasts a staggering 107 win in the national race with fellow Victorian Daryl Douglas filling second place.

 

Gath has piloted 332 wins across the nation thus far and will compete at another four meetings before the 2003/04 season draws to a close next Tuesday night.

 

That figure is well short of her own national record of 371 wins set last season, but a staggering effort nonetheless given her commanding lead in the premiership race.

 

Heading into today's meetings Gath and Douglas are two of seven Victorian drivers ranked in the nation's top 15.

 

The others are Gavin Lang (5th - 169), Chris Alford (7th - 162), Brian Gath (10th - 144), John Caldow (13th - 128) and Jodi Quinlan (15th - 119).

 

Gath Sizes Up 4th Title (Part 2)

 

Andy Gath is poised to collect his fourth consecutive Australian & Victorian Trainers Premierships.

 

With the 2003/04 season set to conclude next Tuesday, the Great Western trainer has prepared 211 winners Australia wide thus far.

 

Whilst short of his own national record of 240 winners set last season, the 35-year-old has still amassed a commanding lead in the premiership race.

 

Gath's father-in-law Peter Manning will once again finish second on both premierships.

 

The 1999/2000 premiership winner has prepared 152 winners in Victoria this season and six in New South Wales.

 

Outside that duo, most intrigue will centre around popular Bendigo trainer Glenn Douglas who currently sits third on the Victorian Trainers Premiership.

 

The 30-year-old is just two wins shy of reaching his first century of winners and has 22 runners engaged over the last six days of the season in an all-out assault on the ton.

 

Bumper Nominations

 

The annual scramble to secure age penalty wins before season's end will see 10 races conducted at Charlton next Monday afternoon.

 

Harness Racing Victoria had only programmed eight races, but elected to split the two-year-old and three-year-old races into two divisions each after receiving 40 and 42 nominations respectively.

 

HRV will now provide an additional $8,000 in stakes for the meeting which will offer a further 20 two and three-year-old pacers the chance to secure a victory before their birthdays on 1 September.

 

The first race will be conducted at 12.03pm and the last 5.07pm with the meeting receiving full home and club coverage on Sky Channel.