Whirily School and Greg Sugars win their Empire Stallions Vicbred semi-final.
Smythes Creek trainer Emma Stewart holds plenty of aces in next Saturday night’s Empire Stallions Vicbred Super Series finals.
The three-year-old pacing fillies’ division appears to be one of her strongest hands.
Stewart has four runners in the field and semi-final winner Whirily School’s stocks only rose when she pulled gate one at the barrier draw.
“It was one of those cases where the wide barrier draw was actually to her advantage,” Sugars said of Whirily School’s semi-final win tonight.
“We were able to press forward and once she was able to take up the lead she was always the one to beat.
“It’s probably a very honest and fair assessment to say she’s probably a length or so behind the very best of her age group, but she is certainly not far behind them . With a bit of luck in the final she is definitely in with a chance.”
Whirily School (Courage Under Fire/Mayhappen) worked forward to eventually find the lead through a 45secs lead time and posted quarters of 30.5, 32.5, 28.9 and 28.9 for a mile rate of 1:58.7.
Stablemate Rocknroll Magic will take a power of beating in the final though, despite drawing barrier 11.
The filly by Rock N Roll Heaven out of All The Magic made it 15 career wins from 22 starts tonight, notching a 1:57.5 mile rate in the chair (55.2 last half) to overhaul leader Rockstar Angel by a half-neck.
“I probably expected that is where I would land in the run but I was still confident enough she’d be good enough,” winning driver Gavin Lang said.
“She’s one of the main players (in the final), as you know with Emma and Clayton’s horses this time of the year they’re always on song.”
Rockstar Angel has drawn barrier eight so will follow Whirily School.
In the three-year-old colts and geldings’ final, semi-final winners Soho Tribeca (American Ideal/Pixel Perfect) and Iceenothink (Art Major/Decethree Lombo) have drawn gates three and four for the Final.
Iceenothink finished powerfully tonight for Chris Alford and trainer Larry Eastman (who combined to win this section last year with Menin Gate), holding off Mario Attard and Don’t Hold Back, who also savaged the line from well-back.
Iceenothink posted a 1:57.4 mile rate.
Soho Tribeca, trained by Jayne Davies and driven by Alford, scored by a half-neck over Carter Bromac, with Brallos Pass third in a rate of 1:57.4.
“He was going to get a good run through, (it was) just whether he could stay in front of Brallos Pass. That didn’t work out but he (Brallos Pass) had to do a fair bit of work,” Alford said. “Just got to hope he gets a good draw and he can play a part next week.”
Burrumbeet trainer-driver Michael Stanley is set for a busy Vicbred finals night once again, qualifying six pacers through tonight’s semis.
His three-year-old Spiritwriter drew the pole in the males’ division and that brings him right into contention.
Empire Stallions Vicbred Super Series 3YO Fillies Final Barrier Draw
1: Whirily School
2: Ideal Lifestyle
3: Kalinda
4: Platinum Power (em)
5: Just Wantano
6: Nikkibadwagon
7: Flojos Gold
8: Rockstar Angel
9: Alessa
10: Celebrity Guest
11: Rocknroll Magic
12: Rockabella Starz
13: Champagne Taste
Empire Stallions Vicbred Super Series 3YO Colts & Geldnigs Final Barrier Draw
1: Spiritwriter
2: Battle Born
3: Soho Tribeca
4: Iceenothink
5: Keep On Rocking
6: Senor Macray
7: Brallos Pass
8: Herehecomes
9: Professor Tom
10: Showgun Thomas
11: Illawong Maestro
12: Dont Hold Back
13: Carter Bromac
Media enquiries:
Cody Winnell (HRV Media/Communications Manager)
t: 03 8378 0288 | e: cwinnell@hrv.org.au | tw: @codywinnell
