Star South Australian trotter Rejuvenation lived up to his name with a sensational victory in the 2017 Fred Jones Trotters Cup (2645m) at Globe Derby Park on Saturday night.
Trained by Ray Goble, at Grace Plains, the nine-year-old Rejuvenation ($2.40 fav) came off a 50-metre handicap to score a thrilling photo-finish head win from Bold Law ($6.70) with SA Trotters Cup hero Pocketfullofcash ($3.60), 3-1/2 metres away third.
“It (Fred Jones Trotters Cup) is a race I wanted to win,” Goble said.
“The race was created about five years ago, and because I drove a lot for Fred it was a race I put on the bucket list.
“He was a wonderful man for harness racing, and in particular the squaregaiter, so the win is pretty special.”
Goble said he felt Rejuvenation was going as well as at any stage of his career.
“I’m not sure why because as horses get older you expect them to get progressively slower, but he is now running times better than at any time in his career and to come off 50 metres was a wonderful effort.”
Driven by Danielle Hill, Rejuvenation settled last in the field of eight with co-backmarker Pocketfullofcash heading quickly around the field to sit parked outside the leader Tendaho.
The staying event took shape when Bold Law, which had been one-out, one-back, came wide with 500 metres to travel to put pressure on the leaders with Hill trailing up on the eventual winner.
Trainer-driver Paul Fidge asked Pocketfullofcash to go for home with 300 metres to travel and he dashed away with what looked to be a winning break but with 100 metres left to travel, he suddenly “hit the brick wall” and started to stop.
Bold Law, under hard driving by Michael Smith, rallied and with Rejuvenation now alongside, the pair gathered in Pocketfullofcash with 50 metres to travel and the pair went stride for stride in the race to the post.
On the line, Rejuvenation had his head in front of the gallant Bold Law.
Rejuvenation has been a wonderful performer in South Australia but paid the penalty for his wins by being virtually handicapped out of local racing and Goble sent her to Victoria for a campaign during the middle of last year.
Even in Victoria, the star trotter found the handicaps against him according to Goble.
“Even though he wasn’t as severely handicapped, the winners were running 57 second last halves making it impossible for those at the tail of the field to make ground.
“His finishing positions show he was being well beaten but his own times were still quite good.
“I brought him home for the SA features and he has been going really well and the Fred Jones win was very timely.”
Goble said because the gelding came off 50 metres to win, an extra penalty would make it even harder to win going forward.
The trainer said Rejuvenation would most likely have his next run in the 2017 Hambeltonian Trotters Cup (2645m) at the Gawler Gold Cup meeting at Globe Derby Park on Saturday, March 11.
