Blake Jones. Photo by Club Menangle
Leeton Harness Racing Club will see the New Year in by hosting an eight-race program, highlighted by the $18,000 Yenda Produce Leeton Pacers Cup.
The highly regarded Riverina Club has for decades made a success of their carnival and Thursday's fixture is the second feature race meeting in the space of a week with Boxing night drawing a bumper crowd.
And they were treated to a fantastic staging of the time-honoured Southern Central Engineering Breeders Plate which was taken out by Im No Trouble for Canberra trainer Michael Hawke.
The win was made even more exciting for the vocal Leeton crowd as local driver Blake Jones was at the reins of the gelded son of Art Major who has tasted defeat just once in five career starts.
Jones rated Im No Trouble to perfection in front, defeating race favourite Neptunite who was brave after racing without cover.
The win provided Jones with his fourth victory in the race since first taking it out in 2013 aboard Business In Motion.
“We look forward to competing at these two hometown meetings each year, and the Breeders Plate has always been a big deal for us locals to win,” said Jones.
“I have been fortunate enough to have now won it four times, but it was just as big a buzz for me as when I won my first.
“This horse of Mick’s is a very nice horse.
“We had a game plan to lead and give them something to chase, which he had not done in his races beforehand.
“When Neptunite moved up to be a neck away down the back I still felt that we would haveenough up our sleeve given that he (Neptunite) was not handling the turns all that well.
“But to that horse’s credit he stuck on bravely while my fella dug in deep and held a two-metre advantage down to the line.
“I have had a lot of success over the years driving for Mick and Melissa and it was great to share in a Breeders Plate win with them."
Although Jones does not have a drive in the Leeton Cup, he will participate in six races on Thursday.
And consistent filly Pirani Princess appears to be his best winning chance in the Golden Apple Superstore final (race two).
She ran second in her qualifier behind Onthadarkside who is her main threat again.
