Steam Washed and Chris Shinn take out the Group 1 Pegasus Club Queen of the Pacific.
Steam Washed has long been near the top of the crop in the Australian harness racing mares’ scene and tonight was her night in the spotlight.
The six-year-old from the Ruth and Noel Shinn stables produced an all-the-way win in the Pegasus Club Queen of the Pacific for reinsman son Chris Shinn.
It was the second career Group 1 for the daughter of Washington VC/Laura Lace, who has now won 19 races and over $260,000 in stakes.
She had run second in the Queen of the Pacific last year.
“She was terrific,” Chris Shinn said post-race.
“She’s been racing against the best colts, too. She’s been terrific.”
Steam Washed stepped from the tapes like a consummate stand-start professional, spearing across from barrier seven to find the lead.
But it was also this early move that meant she had to win the race on the track and then again in the stewards’ room, with Nathan Jack, the driver of second horse Berisari, protesting against the winner on the grounds the runner-up was hampered early.
Stewards agreed with Jack that there was interference caused by Shinn aboard Steam Washed but Chairman of Stewards Shane Larkins said the stewards could not be satisfied the second horse would have won given the final margin (1.2m) and despite the interference the protest was dismissed.
Steam Washed paced through a lead time of 87.6secs before splits of 28.3, 29.6 and 28.5.
Turning for home the final time Berisari in the breeze was sticking on gamely and making it clear that if Steam Washed was to relent, she was ready to strike.
But Shinn and his girl found plenty, Steam Washed digging in for the fight and holding her rival off with a 30.6secs final quarter to win by 1.2m at odds of $12.40.
"I was holding my breath up the straight," said Ruth Shinn.
"She did deserve it, she's bright as a button. She's terrific."
Berisari was gutsy, losing no supporters whatsoever on the strength of her effort, the $2.30 shot holding off stablemate The Good Times by 0.7m with Majorly Foxy Styx fourth for Michael Stanley.
The winner’s mile rate was 1:59.3.
Race favourite Frith finished ninth.
