Heavens Trend easily takes out her Breeders Crown Semi-Final at Lord's Raceway Bendigo last night.
Clayton Tonkin’s declaration that he doesn’t like comparing his two top-gun fillies Rocknroll Magic and Heavens Trend is completely understandable.
They’re both lovable.
The Emma Stewart and Tonkin prepared three-year-olds won their respective Woodlands Stud Breeders Crown 3YO semi-finals last night at Bendigo and then drew gates one (Heavens Trend) and eight (Rocknroll Magic) for the $185,000 final.
“I don’t like comparing them too much. They’re lovely horses in their own right,” Tonkin said.
The barrier draw result is intriguing. Heavens Trend clearly has the advantage from the pole and TAB has reacted by installing her $1.65 favourite for next Sunday’s final at Tabcorp Park Melton.
Rocknroll Magic will trail her more fancied stablemate and is currently $3 to win the final.
“She’s been unbelievable. It’s been a long, long season for her and for her to run the way she ran tonight is just unbelievable,” said Craig Cameron, who bred Rocknroll Magic (by Rocknroll Heaven out of All The Magic) and now races the filly with a big ownership group.
“She’s only a tiny little horse but she’s all champ.”
VIDEO: EXCITED OWNERS OF ROCKNROLL MAGIC
Heavens Trend went around $1.50 favourite last night in the First Semi-Final and after punching the breeze for the first 500m Gavin Lang took her to the front at the mile, Chris Alford happy to take cover on initial leader Dancingwithsierra.
After coasting through a 61.3secs first half, Lang and Heavens Trend only really quickened considerably from the quarter pole, the filly covering the last split in 26.6secs for a 1:55.9 mile rate.
At the wire Heavens Trend had 7.3m to spare over Mark Purdon’s My Mackenzie, who came from three-pegs, with Rockstar Angel in third for Michael Bellman after weaving a passage from well back on the inside.
Dancingwithsierra dead-heated for fourth with Whirily School, the latter, also from the Stewart yard, fighting on gamely after sitting parked for the final mile.
“I thought (she) did a good job, too,” Tonkin said of Whirily School.
VIDEO: CLAYTON TONKIN TALKS ABOUT HIS FILLIES
Queenslander Get In The Groove, who last year won a Breeders Crown Semi, qualified for the final by finishing sixth for driver Luke McCarthy.
Rocknroll Magic came from behind in the run to win her Semi-Final, Lang extricating her off the pegs from barrier eight early before settling sixth in the running line.
At the 500m Lang made his move, easing wide to get within striking distance of race leader Luisanabelle Midfrew and the breezing Nikkibadwagon.
In the stretch once Lang shook up the $3.20 favourite, Rocknroll Magic rounded up the leaders and scored by 1.6m in a rate of 1:56.4. The last half-mile was trekked in 56.3.
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Nikkibadwagon was brave in second after facing the breeze throughout, while Just Rockon Bye finished third after showing blistering gate speed to lead from five before handing up to Luisanabelle Midfrew, who ran fourth.
Gina Grace appreciated the pole position draw and qualified in fifth, while Ilikemillie scraped into the final by closing late for sixth.
Lang revealed late last night he would drive Heavens Trend in the Crown final.
"Her heat run was very good and she was good again tonight so it all augers well for next week," he said.
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Cody Winnell (HRV Media/Communications Manager)
t: 03 8378 0288 | e: cwinnell@hrv.org.au | tw: @codywinnell
