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Sassy
Sarah Returns
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Victoria's
glamour girl Sassy Sarah returns to racing this Saturday night at Moonee
Valley.
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A
brilliant last start winner of the Breeders Crown in Moonee Valley track record
time, Sassy Sarah makes her first appearance as a 4YO in the $12,000 Country
Clubs Award M0-M1 Mares Pace.
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Drawn
barrier five over the 2090 metre trip, the Mario Azzopardi-trained mare will
start a long odds-on favourite to topple her more seasoned rivals.
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After
winning her first 11 starts, Sassy Sarah was tipped to become the next big
thing in harness racing.
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A serious
lung infection and a horror run of luck in feature races ensured a
rollercoaster 3YO career, which finally came good when she raced into history
as the first horse to win the 2 & 3YO Breeders Crown double.
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Her
victory in the 24 August feature was her last official appearance, although the
Walton Hanover mare has trialled twice in the past fortnight at Geelong and
Ballarat. On both occasions she finished second, but wasn't pushed out by
regular pilot Gavin Lang.
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Sassy
Sarah's main target this season will be the $100,000 Vicbred Super Series 4YO
Mares Final (Group 1) on 14 December at Moonee Valley.
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The
Country Clubs Awards Pace will be run at 8.30pm AET on 19 October.
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Tricky
Vic Out
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Reigning
Victoria Derby champion Tricky Vic has succumbed to a virus and will not
contest this month's Kilmore Cup.
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Western Australian
trainer Mike Reed confirmed that blood tests taken yesterday showed signs of a
low grade virus in the star 4YO.
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Due to
fly out next Monday for an eastern states campaign that kicked off with the 27
October feature, Tricky Vic will now have a week off and be freshened up for a
tilt at the lucrative Perth Summer Carnival en route to the Carlton Draught
Hunter Cup at Moonee Valley in February.
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In more
positive news for Kilmore officials, leading New South Wales trainer Dennis
Wilson has unveiled plans to nominate two horses for the Group 2 $70,000
feature - Grand Circuit placegetter Bar Ron Boy and much improved Elgigi.
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Bar Ron
Boy, a then feature race novice, filled sixth placing in last year's Kilmore
Cup, before finishing right on the placegetters' heels in this year's Carlton
Draught Hunter Cup.
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A
runner-up to Grand Circuit champion Smooth Satin in last season's Ben Hur, the
standing specialist will have his final hitout this Friday at Harold Park. It's
the six year old's first run since finishing down the track in the Group 2
Queensland Winter Cup on 31 August.
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Elgigi is
the one most improved conveyances in Wilson's barn. A winner at two of her past
three appearances, she finished a close-up fourth to Selby Bromac in last
weekend's Spring Championship Final at Harold Park.
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Kiwi
Giant Grand Prix Bound
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Giant
Kiwi trotter Dependable looks set to contest the Australian Trotting Grand Prix
Carnival in December.
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Held on
the 7 & 14 December at Moonee Valley, the carnival commences with the
$50,000 Bill Collins Mile (Group 1) and continues with the $100,000 Australian
Trotting Grand Prix (Group 1) one week later.
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Part-owner
Lorraine Georgeson contacted HRV officials this week to express their interest
in the carnival after the mammoth squaregaiter downed Take A Moment in the
Group 2 Canterbury Trotting Cup earlier this month.
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A former
New Zealand 3YO of the Year, the blue blood has thrived since rejoining the
stables of Georgeson's husband Allan from Mark Purdon earlier this year.
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Standing
at approximately 17.3 hands, the Sundon five year old is a full brother to
brilliant Kiwi trotting filly Jo Anne who raced with distinction in Victoria
two seasons back, finishing second in the Redwood prior to winning the Tatlow
Final.
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Dependable
will renew acquaintances with Take A Moment and New Zealand's best trotters in
the Ashburton Flying Mile (Group 2) on 28 October.
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Kilmore
Cup Scramble
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Connections
have their last chance to impress Kilmore Cup selectors in two specific races
this weekend.
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The
$6,000 Carlton Draught Pacers Handicap on Friday night at Bendigo, and the
$15,000 VHRC Classic 24 hours later at Moonee Valley, double as a final chance
to impress and an important hitout for several topliners.
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At
Bendigo, Neville Clarke will use the 2415 metre handicap to tighten up stable
star Western Light for his tilt at the Cup.?
After an impressive second to nominal Cup favourite Wally Walton last
Saturday, the 30 metre backmarker should have a little trouble booking a berth
at Kilmore on Sunday, 27 October.
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Those
looking to strut their stuff one last time for selectors are the Jayne
Davies-trained Tromos and the Ange Pace-trained Gozo Heritage, both of whom
face 20 metre handicaps.
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John
Caldow will be the new driver on former Breeders Crown champion Tromos after
owner Theo Papadopoulos requested a change from regular pilot Chris Alford
following several indifferent performances.
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Caldow,
widely regarded as one of the nation's premier standing start drivers, trialled
Tromos at Davies' Clyde property and was impressed with what the stallion
offered.
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Gozo
Heritage, another Breeders Crown champion as a juvenile, signalled a welcome
return to form with a crushing win off 20 metres last Saturday night at Moonee
Valley.
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In the
VHRC Classic, in form duo Sokyola and Pass The Mustard look a class above their
rivals and should fight out proceedings en route to both earning a Cup berth.
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Many of
their rivals this Saturday night including veteran speedster Tee Cee Double
You, gallant mare Out Swing N and comeback pacer Troublesome Fella are likely
to front up in the $8,000 Kilmore Sprint on Cup Day.
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Elsewhere
on the program, Andy Gath's tough-as-nails Hearts Legend will have to overcome
the outside of the second row over an unsuitable mile trip to impress selectors
in the Gordon Rothacker Medal Pace.
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