The horses are on the gate at Warragul trots. Photo: Kyle Galley.
Free-legged Trafalgar pacer Feel The Rhythm burst back into winning form in one of the highlights of trots at Warragul last Monday afternoon.
Racing in warm Spring conditions, Feel The Rhythm led all the way in the fifth race.
The seven-year-old black mare is a pacing rarity – she competes without the hopples that nearly all pacers were around their legs in some form, which enable the horse to pace at speed in competition.
Feel The Rhythm won at Yarra Valley without the hopples in June, and, despite having only won two races from 58 starts, she has still paid her way with another eleven minor placings, three of those coming since the hopples were removed.
Veteran trainer Chris Hunter prepares Feel The Rhythm, raced by his son Brett and long time stable client Graham Tonkin, while Glenn Hunter drove the horse for his dad.
The mare produced a mile rate of 1:57.4 for the victory on Monday – it would be interesting to find out where that time sits as far as the quickest times recorded by unhoppled pacers in Australia.
Cranbourne horses provided the Quinella in the Trotters Handicap, leading home the twelve horse field which was spread out over plenty of ground after several runners made early errors.
Ghent led most of the way for trainer/driver Simone Walker, courtesy of a brilliant beginning from the standing start.
Express Yourself ran second, with Omy Son completing a Gippsland Trifecta by finishing third.
Fast race times were the order of the day on Monday, and Clyde pacer Coldplay Road broke the track record for the 2210 metres distance in winning the appropriately named Full Steam Ahead Pace.
Coldplay Road produced a mile rate of 1 minute 56.4 seconds, wiping two one-hundredths of a second off the previous mark.
Visiting trainers won several of the races on Monday, despite numbers of visitors being down on previous meetings.
Wemen Sporty won the opening race for trainer Leigh Miles and driver Greg Sugars in fast time.
Budding Caesar broke a frustrating run of minor placings with a win in the second event for trainer Beau Tindale and driver Lisa Miles.
Tindale also teamed up with driver Darby McGuigan to win the last with Bongiorno Boys, helping produce a Quadrella dividend of over $23,000.
Jodi Quinlan drove the Philip Chircop trained Delightful System to win the third event.
Racing returns to Warragul on Christmas Eve.
