South Australia’s leading trainer-driver Ryan Hryhorec is flying.
Hryhorec opened December with a driving treble and training a winning double at Globe Derby Park, then a week later repeated the effort on ‘Hotshots Night’.
He started the night with a win on Addarichone for trainer Errol Johnson, then trained and drove Doubledipofheaven and Hellfire Pass to victory.
The wins saw him leading the SA Drivers premiership with 37 wins, three clear of Wayne Hill, and also at the head of the SA Trainers premiership with 17 wins, three clear of the now defunct partnership of Jake Webster and Aaron Bain.
The trainer believes both Doubledipofheaven and Hellfire Pass can continue their winning form.
A well backed $2.40 favourite, Doubledipofheaven sprinted strongly to win the Adelaide Equine Salt Therapy Pace (1385m) by a metre from Make Mine Joe ($2.90) with Sallywynda ($5.60), 4-1/2 metres away third.
The victory was the result of a classic drive by Hryhorec.
He came out quickly from gate three on Doubledipofheaven but found Sallywynda pushing through from gate one. With Make Mine Joe in gate eight failing to hold the back of the leader, Hryhorec dropped his drive into the fence to have the perfect trail.
As the field sprinted up past the 600 metre mark, he came off the back of Sallywynda rather than wait for the sprint lane.
“I did think about staying inside because I knew it would be holding Make Mine Joe up on my back,” Hryhorec said.
“But I backed myself to be able to outsprint him and it proved a good decision.”
Hryhorec said he was very happy with the five-year-old which is owned by his partner Kerri Stauwer.
“His form was okay earlier in the year, but I didn’t think he was really running through the line.
“However, his last two wins have been an improvement and now he is hitting the line strongly.
“There is no doubt he is best when not used up early because he has a super sprint.”
Hellfire Pass ($2.90) led throughout from gate four in the Equissage Pace (1385m) to score by four metres from That Said ($1.70 fav) with Starzzz Princess ($5.80), eight metres away third.
Despite the fact the race was over a short trip, Hryhorec was able to get away with a pedestrian 32 second first quarter before coming home in 29.7 and 28.1 to win comfortably.
“I think he is going to be a nice horse,” Hryhorec said.
“He was one of Paul’s (Brumby) dear buys – he cost $3000.”
Hellfire Pass has now won three races from just nine starts earning just under $10,000.
