Ross and Greg Sugars are in brilliant form.
When you're hot, you're hot and the state’s leading reinsman Greg Sugars continued on his winning way with a treble at the Shepparton trots on Tuesday, winning aboard Bettors Delight/The Perfect Mona filly Trip Sevens for Romsey trainer Leigh Miles in the Saddleworld Shepparton 3-Y-0 Pace, Blissful Hall/Forest Flame four year old mare Liculia for father Ross in the Just Me Patsy Pace for C2 & C3 class and Leigh Miles’ Elsu/Miss Philpotts colt Be Good Juddy in the Ausure Insurance Brokers 3-Y-0 Pace, all over the 1690 metre journey.
Trip Sevens (gate four) gained a one/one trip for the final lap, before finishing on in the straight to defeat first starter Annabell Crabtree which faced the open from the bell after vacating the prime spot, with Bee Bee Elle (three back the markers at bell) third. The mile rate 1-58.9.
Liculia was restrained from outside the front line to possie four back along the markers, with the heavily supported Last Issue (gate two) striding past polemarker Game We Play as the starter released the field.
When both Arrokeefe (three back the markers) and Game We Play came away from the inside on turning, Liculia dashed home along the sprint lane to gain the day by 1.4 metres over Game We Play who in all probability would have won had he stayed on the inside, with Last Issue weakening over the concluding stages to be 1.8 metres away in third place. The mile rate a sizzling 1-55.8.
Be Good Juddy bred and raced by long time stable client Garry Walters received a great run through the field to possie one/one from gate two on the second line, with polemarker Goodtime Red retaining the front running until the bell when Red River Glacier outside the leader took over leaving Discarded Ace which had been three wide in the open.
Switching down to follow the leader into the straight, Be Good Juddy used the sprint lane to perfection, racing clear over the concluding stages to record a 1.3 metre victory in 1-59.2 over Red River Glacier which fought on extremely well, as did Discarded Ace to finish third.
Toolern Vale’s John Justice snared the Central Tyre Service 2-Y-0 Pace over 1690 metres with speedy Rock N Roll Heaven/Champagne Sheffield gelding Mar Nien when making his eighth race appearance, returning a mile rate of 1-59.4..
Leading from gate two, Mar Nien was never headed in accounting for Brallos Pass (one/three at bell) and Soho Tribeca which trailed the winner on debut.
Shepparton (Lemnos) partners Amanda Turnbull (trainer) and Nathan Jack (driver) pocketed some extra cash for the upcoming trip across the Tasman for the Harness Jewels in the weeks ahead, when Somebeachsomewhere/Miss Bigalow gelding Moonta Bay led throughout from the pole to land the Telstra Business Centre 3-Y-0 Pace over 1690 metres and six year old Dream Away/Shezaclassact gelding Big Spook the Neatline Homes Pace for C4 & C5 class over 2190 metres.
Backed and beaten on debut at Cobram twelve days earlier, Moonta Bay on this occasion was untroubled to score by 2.7 metres in a rate of 1-58.3 from Heza Warhorse (gate four) which shadowed him all of the way. Twoforsixty was 3.4 metres away in third place after trailing the winner.
Big Spook driven by Amanda, led virtually throughout from gate five to easily account for Magic Moment Lombo which trailed from the pole giving Shepparton the quinella, with Sketch Me (one/two – three wide last lap) third. The margins 6.4 X 6.3 metres in a mile rate of 1-57.7.
Kaarimba trainer Bryan (Jonno) Johnstone combined with step-son Steven Duffy aboard consistent four year old Live Or Dir/Shadow Bay gelding A Special Dream to capture the Elite Horse Transport Breeders Crown Pace for C0 class over 1690 metres.
Settling three back in the moving line from gate two on the second row with David Miles’ Highly Persuasive burning out to lead from gate four, A Special Dream moved a spot closer at the bell after Fiddlers Lane dropped to three back the markers after racing in the open.
Eased wide on turning to give chase to the leader, A Special Dream finished full of running to register a 2.5 runaway victory in advance of the pacemaker and Jax Tellar which faced the breeze for the final circuit.
It was a real family affair as A Special Dream is raced in partnership by Jonno, wife Lorraine and step daughter Sharon Britten.
A Special Dream is a half brother to multiple winners Jayteeare (10) and Julies Equity (22), both by Equitable and We Dare To Dream (11) a son of Live Or Die.
On what was a huge night for the Goulburn Valley, Invergordon’s Stuart Govers was victorious with Ramblenroller, a five year old gelded son of Blissful Hall and Cheryls Fancy in the GV Equine Hospital Pace for C1 class over 2190 metres in a rate of 2-00.4..
Driven by local Riley Fortin, Ramblenroller (gate two on the second row) went forward on the back of Provocator early in the race to settle nice and handy, with Beau Romulus leading from gate four.
When Provocator raced to the front on straightening, Ramblenroller was poised to pounce and that he did, scoring by 4.1 metres, with Partnersinvancelot running on late to finish third.
Bolinda’s Chris Alford was responsible for the “drive of the night” after winning the Grenada Park Trotters Handicap for T0 or better class over 2190 metres with 4-Y-0 Straphanger/Karamea Vignette mare Mia Mosca much to the delight of wife Alison who races her.
Beginning swiftly from a 30 metre backmark, Alford wasted no time in sending Mia Mosca forward to take the lead away from A Stylish Jewel which had crossed polemarker Lenient shortly after the start.
Content to allow last start winner Aldebaran Hest to take over mid-race, Mia Mosca then received the run of the race.
Easing away from the markers to follow Lenient which had gone forward in the final circuit to claim Aldebaran Hest on the home turn, Mia Mosca raced away over the final stages to register a 3.8 metre margin over Lenient in a rate of 2-06.2.
Rank outsider Our Punt after an early gallop, came from a mile back to snatch third.
