Bunbartha (Goulburn Valley) based trainer/driver John Newberry and Great Western’s Kerryn Manning took the honours at the Nyah Trots conducted at the Swan Hill Racing Centre on Tuesday July 28 – Newberry landing a stable double and Manning a driving treble including one of her own.
John Newberry a regular at most Swan Hill meetings captured the Cydectin Pace for C6 or better class over 1750 metres with speedy four year old ExtremeThree/Diamond Cove gelding Diamond Ace and the Eweguard Pace for C3 to C5 class over 2240 metres with five year old Mach Three/Tigerish gelding Mac Tiger.
Diamond Ace began very fast from gate six to lead, before allowing the raging hot favourite Nowitzki to take over at the bell.
Easing off the front runners back on straightening, Diamond Ace put the race beyond doubt halfway up the running, scoring by 4.9 metres over Nowitzki in a slick rate of 1-55.5, with Itdontmattertome using the sprint lane from four back the markers last lap to be 3.4 metres away in third place.
Mac Tiger starting from the extreme draw possied four back in the moving line, with Itsallaboutex crossing to lead from gate three for Tina Ridis.
Sent forward three wide mid-race to park in the open at the bell, Mac Tiger who’s mother was a terrific race mare, outstayed his rivals to record a head victory from Kerryn Manning’s Jaccka Art off a three wide trail from near last in the final circuit and the local hope Riley James who didn’t enjoy the best passage in finishing third 8.2 metres away. The mile rate 1-57.5.
Mach Three/Betapic gelding Betanotblink trained and driven by Kerryn was having his second start at the races in the BR &C Agents 2-Y-0 Pace over 1750 metres and the almost unbackable favourite at $1.20, coasted to an all of the way victory from gate three to account for Alessa one/three – four wide last lap by 12.9 metres in a rate of 1-57.8. Mastersign finished third 5.6 metres away after racing uncovered from gate four.
Kerryn then joined forces with Armstrong (Ararat) trainer Brooke Hansen aboard smart Village Jasper/Issadora 3-Y-0 gelding Starwyn Jasper who toyed with his rivals in the Strategy T Pace for C0 class over 2240 metres, leading throughout from gate six to record a mammoth 21.1 metre victory in advance of Drayton (one/one) and a death-seating Our Stardust in a mile rate of 1-57.7.
Victory number three for Kerryn came up in the Ezy See Blue Pace for C2 class over 2240 metres, guiding Pyramid Hill part-owner/trainer Andrew Grogan’s 7-Y-0 The Wrath Of Pan/Fly Home gelding Nuggetpan to victory.
Starting from inside the second line, Nuggetpan received a glorious passage following the poleline pacemaker Raylan Gibbons, before making full use of the sprint lane to prevail by 1.6 metres over Tennaya (one/one – three wide last lap) in 1-59.5, with Raylan Gibbons weakening to finish .7 of a metre away in third place.
Junortoun trainer Gary Donaldson is no stranger to Swan Hill meetings and combined with Rockbank freelance reinsman Ian McMahon to snare the Top Knot 3-Y-0 Pace over 2240 metres with home bred Stoneridge Regal/Eilish Mary colt Regal Ambition in a rate of 1-58.8.
Starting from gate two on the second row, Regal Ambition spent most of the race bottled up three back the markers, with Ellen Tormey’s well supported Lindsey Effect leading from gate two when making his race debut.
Moving away from the inside in the last lap to be one/two approaching the home turn, the race changed complexion when Lindsey Effect galloped under pressure halfway up the running when being challenged by Glenferrie Baby which had made a long run three wide solo from the bell. This allowed Regal Ambition to charge home when clear to nose out Glenferrie Baby right on the wire, with Midnitedelite third 4.2 metres away after trailing the runner-up home.
Marong trainer David Van Ryn and nephew reinsman Haydon Gray have enjoyed a most successful season and landed the Integrated Packaging Trotters Handicap for T0 or better class over 2240 metres with Swishbye, a four year old gelded son of Majestic Son and Rangitawa Moni, leading all of the way from barrier two to record a fighting 1.4 metre victory from 10 metre marker Silver Memory (three back the markers – behind winner home turn) and Its Not Dark Yet (30 metre) which finished 8.1 metres away in third place.
Stawell (Concongella) trainer Owen Martin and son-in-law Michael Sullivan were successful with 6-Y-0 Red River Hanover/Milwaukee Square gelding Shipstern in the Grain bag Pace for C1 class over 1750 metres.
Given a sweet one/one trip from gate three with the hot favourite Dawson Street spearing across the face of the field from outside the front line to lead, Shipstern switched down to trail the leader on turning and finished best along the sprint lane to register a half head margin over a death-seating Parisian Ruler, with Dont Tell Jim (three back the markers – four wide home straight) a half head away in third place. Dawson Street weakened to finish fourth a neck away. The mile rate 1-58.6.
*** The next Nyah @ Swan Hill meeting will be Wednesday August 19.
