Chris Svanosio aboard Majestic Ess Jay after tonight's win.
Tonight’s Swan Hill trots cup meet proved a red letter occasion for Graham McDermott’s Myola operation.
The horseman scored a winning double by picking up both the $13,000 Haras Des Trotteurs Jim Roberts Swan Hill Trotters Cup with Majestic Ess Jay (Majestic Son-Steffi Jay) and the $10,000 Swan Hill Automotive Swan Hill Mile with five-year-old Lucky Lombo (Major In Art-Isabella Lombo).
Majestic Ess Jay, a six-year-old gelding, was sent forward by reinsman Chris Svanosio early after stepping professionally from the 20-metre handicap tape at the 2790-metre standing start point.
Once in front Majestic Ess Jay saw off challenges from Glorious Finale (Jackie Barker, in the breeze), Heza Boy Star (Matthew Craven, leader’s back after initially leading) and race favourite Aleppo Sunrise, who made a sweeping late run around the field first-up for Haydon Gray after starting off 30m to get beaten a short half-head in a 2:02.8 mile rate.
Majestic Ess Jay, who ran sixth beaten 15.2m behind star Monbet in the Group 1 Australasian Trotting Championship in January, started a $3.60 second elect with punters, Aleppo Sunrise a $2.80 shot despite not having raced since December 2015 and not having won since January 2013. On the strength of his run tonight however, the runner-up's drought breaks very soon.
Heza Boy Star finished third and Leannes Boy ran fourth in the Trotters Cup.
Majestic Ess Jay's stake earnings are now over the $110,000 mark.
Ultra-talented pacer Lucky Lombo showed he may have a role to play this Trots Country Cups season with a cracking return to the track in the flying mile race.
Driven by Gavin Lang, Lucky Lombo – as is his way – was given time to balance up before coming with a strong run at the finish to defeat Gollahman (Michael Bellman) by a head in 1:55.1, with class mare Miss Dreamin (Grant Campbell) third and 5.3m from the winner.
Lang took driving honours at Swan Hill with a winning treble, the Lucky Lombo success added to victories in Race 1 aboard Ample Power (Mach Three-Modern Life) and Race 3 behind Phoenix Prince (Somebeachsomewhere-Classic Cathy), both hailing from the Emma Stewart stable to also give that trainer a winning double.
Svanosio steered Johns Grin (Grinfromeartoear-Vinnies Dreams) to a 1.9m win over long odds-on pop Our Star Dust in Race 4 to deliver the Matthew Craven stable a victory, the Trotters’ Cup triumph giving Svanosio a double.
Other winners were smart four-year-old Hickstead (Mach Three-Il Informed) for trainer/driver John Justice in Race 2 and Glenn Douglas-trained Give Me The Night (Santanna Blue Chip-Alright On The Night), given a perfect guide by Monique Burnett, in Race 8 to deliver local clubman Noel Watson a victory as owner.
RELATED: HECTORJAYJAY ULTRA-IMPRESSIVE WINNING SWAN HILL CUP
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Cody Winnell (HRV Media/Communications Manager)
t: 03 8378 0288 | e: cwinnell@hrv.org.au | tw: @codywinnell
