FANS today witnessed one of the most memorable Hankook Tyres Hunter Cups Moonee Valley has seen.
Hometown hero Sting Lika Bee won, the eight-year-old was driven by a reinsman having his first sit behind the horse and the track record was obliterated.
Ballarat-trained Sting Lika Bee simply proved too strong for his 12 rivals in the $500,000 Group 1 classic to give trainer-owner Brian Tuddenham his biggest win, and biggest thrill, in the sport.
While it was an emotional Tuddenham at the presentation, it was also a shocked, but delighted Chris Alford who steered Sting Lika Bee to victory at odds of $9.30.
It was only five days earlier that Alford attended a Kilmore harness meeting without a drive in the big race, but he left having secured the drive behind Sting Lika Bee.
Regular reinsman Daryl Douglas honoured a commitment to drive Toe Taper, and in turn Tuddenham was desperately looking for a driver, and a quality one at that.
Alford gained the tick and all of a sudden he was driving one of Victoria’s favourite horses in the world’s richest standing start race.
“At one stage I had nothing, then next thing I was on board this horse,” Alford said. “It’s funny how things change, and this one was in my favour.”
“Luckily Daryl put in a good word for me to get the drive so really I have to thank him and Brian.”
It was Alford’s third Hunter Cup victory, having previously won the great race in 1999 behind Paris Affair and again in 2003 with Mont Denver Gold.
“Everything went just right for him in the race,” Alford said. “He skipped a touch at the start, but outside of that he put in a perfect race.”
“He was so strong and in the straight he just kept going. It was a credit to Brian’s training.
“This win is right up there with the other Hunter Cups – this sort of race is always great to win.”
The feature win capped a remarkable day for Alford who piloted four winners on the 10 race Moonee Valley program.
The victory was also an emotional one for Tuddenham, the brother of former VFL champion Des, as he not only trained the eight-year-old, but owned him.
The veteran horseman purchased the pacer as a four-month-old for $30,000 and has not looked back.
The Hankook Tyres Hunter Cup victory took Sting Lika Bee’s career earnings past $840,000 delivering his 32nd victory from a 116 start career that has also yielded 51 minor placings.
The win was also the pacer’s fourth successive Cup win after victories in the Stawell, Shepparton and Ballarat Cups in recent weeks.
Tuddenham believes one of the reasons for today’s victory was due to the fact the horse did not contest the recent Inter Dominion Championship.
“Missing that series certainly helped – he was the fresh horse on the scene,” Tuddenham said.
“I am so happy to win this race, especially in front of so many friends and at Moonee Valley. Two hometown victories (Ballarat Cup and Hunter Cup) are great.”
Daryl Douglas received some compensation for handing up the drive behind Sting Lika Bee when the horse he piloted, Toe Taper ($44.50), rattled home for second placing just nailing Flashing Red ($8.50) who finished third in his third Cup appearance.
Sting Lika Bee returned a mile rate of 2:00.5 which totally smashed the track record of 2:05.2. The final 800-metres was covered in 57.8 seconds, final 400 in 29.2 seconds.
