Trainer Ryan Hryhorec came away with a winning treble at Saturday’s Globe Derby Park meeting but it was an emotional night with two of his winners leaving the stable.
Hryhorec’s winners were Crafty Old Fox, Star Brutus and Glenferrie Bunter but post-meeting the trainer revealed the latter pair were both headed for New South Wales.
“Star Brutus and Glenferrie Bunter are both special to the stable, each in different ways, but realistically they need to head interstate for their own careers,” Hryhorec said.
“Kerry (partner Kerry Stauwer) and I love Star Brutus – he was basically the first horse to come into the stable when I set up at Angle Vale.
“Tonight’s win was his 21st for me so there is no doubt he has been a wonderful part of my training career.”
Ironically, the six-year-old came into Hryhorec’s stable when he was setting up at Angle Vale, now the trainer is in the process of moving to a new stable he is building at Two Wells so will be looking for another Star Brutus to kick off his new venture.
On Saturday, Hryhorec drove hard from gate two on Star Brutus ($3.40 fav) to take the lead in the Modbury Junior Football Club Claiming Pace (22340m) and ultimately lead throughout for a four-metre win from My Man Dan ($4.80) with Soho Monza ($8.30) a half-head win away third.
“The owners are keen for him to go to Sydney for claiming races and while he has been a great horse for us, I felt he had earned a chance at the better prizemoney,” the trainer said.
Hryhorec stated last week he felt Glenferrie Bunter would be better suited around bigger tracks with the gelding having trouble getting around the home turn when out wide and, after discussion, the owners decided to send him to Rob Morris in Sydney.
However, Hryhorec had one more run and Glenferrie Bunter came up with gate one in the PFD Food Services Pace (1800m).
He was a well-backed $1.10 favourite and led comfortably before dashing away for a 13-metre win from The Commander ($9.70) which chased him throughout with Whata Escape ($38.20), five metres away third.
Hryhorec set comfortable quarters of 30.8, 30.7 and 29.3 before dashing home in 28.1 for a 1:58.4 mile rate.
“It is sad to lose this bloke because he is potentially a star,” Hryhorec said.
“What I am so pleased about with him is that early on he beat himself some times by over-racing and proving hard to control but now he leaves at the top of his game and a much more mature.
“Realistically he was always going to race his way out of South Australia but losing him is going to leave a massive hole in my stable – I guess I just have to try and find a good one to replace him.”
His first winner was Crafty Old Fox, driven by his niece Kaela.
A $3.10 chance, Crafty Old Fox was well driven by the teenager to drop down behind the leader Jennas Fling ($11.20) early in the Ubet Pace (1800m).
Wayne Hill rated the leader perfectly and dashed for home at the top of the straight but Crafty Old Fox was able to use the sprint lane and come through to score by a metre with Hardly A Grin ($26.50), four metres away third.
“He came to us as a maiden and now won three of his last four, including picking up a Vicbred bonus, so has been a good buy for the owners.
“He’s no star but still has as few more wins as he goes through the classes.”
