Messini driver Chris Alford with trainer Brent Lilley with the Empire Stallions Vicbred Super Series trophy.
Chris Alford probably thought he’d lost a couple of battles in the run aboard Messini in the four-year-old entires and geldings Empire Stallions Vicbred Super Series Final on Saturday night at Tabcorp Park Melton.
For starters he tried to lead aboard the Brent Lilley-trained stallion from the pole but was crossed early by Hectorjayjay and Simone Walker drawn alongside.
Secondly, once crossed and it was clear Walker was going to hand up to Major Crocker, Alford tried to angle away from the markers but couldn’t when Young Modern and Mick Stanley snared the one-one.
Alford explained: “I had to make a decision how hard to go in the first 200 … when Simone got that half-length she presumed she could get across and she was going to keep going, and I thought we were going a bit too hard and thought she might think about handing up since we had gone that hard. Luckily I tried to get off the fence and Mick Stanley put me back in there thankfully, and it all worked out good after that.”
Once in front Major Crocker copped too much pepper from Keayang Active, running a 43.7secs lead time and 28.5secs first quarter.
When Jilliby Jagger came from near the rear and eased three and four-wide coming off the back straight Hectorjayjay made his move.
Walked eased Hectorjayjay to the outside of a tiring Major Crocker and Alford and Messini followed closely.
Once in the home stretch Hectorjayjay gave his trademark kick and got about 5m clear of Messini.
But the former New Zealander typically wasn’t going to go down without a fight and he stuck his head down and got going, stride by stride reeling in Hectorjayjay to eventually score a half-neck win in 1:54.9 (28.6secs third and fourth quarters).
“It was a great race now that we’ve won but things didn’t go exactly how we wanted them to go,” Alford said.
“He’s just a great little trier. I thought his head was dragging on the ground near the line he was trying that hard. He deserved that win."
Jilliby Jagger ran third for Glen Craven, while Barimah ran on well for fourth for Damian Wilson and Major Crocker battled away for fifth with Greg Sugars in the sulky.
The win meant back-to-back Empire Stallions Vicbred Super Series successes for Messini.
The race was one of the most exciting on the strong Saturday night card.
Messini is by Art Major out of Mesmerizing.
Video
Re-live Messini's win in the Empire Stallions Vicbred Super Series final
Enquiries:
CODY WINNELL
COMMUNICATIONS AND MEDIA MANAGER
HARNESS RACING VICTORIA
PO BOX 184, MOONEE PONDS, VIC 3039
400 EPSOM ROAD, FLEMINGTON, VIC 3031
t: 03 8378 0288 | f: 03 9214 0699 | e: cwinnell@hrv.org.au
www.hrv.org.au
