Lennytheshark and Chris Alford, pictured winning the Smoken Up Sprint, again proved a formiddable combination last night.
Faith in the people’s champion was again rewarded as Lennytheshark controlled and conquered the PETstock 2016 Bendigo Pacing Cup.
All-the-way wins were the feature of the night at Lords Raceway, where outstanding trotter Glenferrie Typhoon dominated the Aldebaran Park 2016 Maori Mile to deliver Andy Gath a Group 1 winner.
Lennytheshark began the Cup a $1.04 favourite and the Group 2 couldn’t have run more to script for David Aiken’s superstar, whose winnings are closing in on $2 million after the Cup was added to Inter Dominion and Victoria Cup success this season.
Chris Alford steered Lennytheshark to the lead from barrier five with little resistance, with Franco Ledger taking the box seat from barrier one as expected.
A 78.7 lead time kick-started the 2650m distance and preceded 30.7 and 29.7 first and second quarters, with Lennytheshark untroubled and untested.
A 27.6 third quarter started to create cracks in the field, with Im Corzin Terror one of the few to loom up while Franco Ledger clung gamely to Lennytheshark’s back until Alford gave him a nudge at the final turn and that was all she wrote.
A 26.8 final quarter created an eventual 10m win, with Im Corzin Terror running into second from three wide and Franco Ledger filling out the placings.
For Lennytheshark, it was the perfect lead in to the $750,000 SEW Eurodrive Miracle Mile on February 28, when he will square off against two-time Inter Dominion champion Beautide at Menangle.
WATCH LENNYTHESHARK CRUISE TO THE CUP
Glenferrie Typhoon was similarly formidable in the Aldebaran Park 2016 Maori Mile, winning his first Group 1 in his ninth attempt and crushing the mile-rate record.
Andy and Kate Gath’s $3.30 favourite rewarded punters with a powerful performance, dominating a strong and deep field, despite burning petrol tickets early.
Brent Lilley’s renowned front runner Maori Time made her expected play for the lead from barrier seven, but Gath was unwilling to hand up and the two separated the field with a 26.2 first quarter until Antony Butt settled for the breeze on Maori Time.
Fancied Claudys Princess and Kyvalley Blur took cover behind Glenferrie Typhoon and last year’s winner Maori Time, whose race was run at the 500m when she dropped through the field en route to a 67m last placing.
Glenferrie Typhoon only drew stronger, gapping the field as Kyvalley Blur worked around Maori Time and Claudys Princess lost touch with the leader.
A 28.7 third quarter fed into a 28.5 final quarter as Glenferrie Typhoon maintained his ascendancy and smashed the track record, stopping the clock at 1:54.3.
That mile rate slashed 1.3 seconds off the track record set by Maori Time in this race one year ago.
Claudys Princess outboxed Kyvalley Blur for third and, despite the quick tempo, only Duchess Ella ran on, claiming fourth but some 17m off the winner.
WATCH GLENFERRIE TYPHOON GRAB HIS FIRST GROUP 1 WIN
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