Zanzi Bromac is this year's Tontine Trotters Series champion
Atlas Alliance picked a good time to post his first Australian win, upstaging another former Kiwi in Thursday night’s Tontine Pacers Series Final (2180m) at Terang.
The Mach Three gelding added his name to one of the most revered country honour rolls in Victorian harness racing when he denied $1.70 favourite Stirling Charmer in the $30,000 Group 3.
It was his first win in three starts since crossing the Tasman with respected trainer Brent Lilley in April.
The four-year-old made the most of a trademark Gavin Lang drive to atone for his semi-final fifth placing, which followed a third in his heat at his Australian debut.
Lang positioned Atlas Alliance beautifully in the one-out one-back before peeling three-wide at the 300m and sweeping past his rivals early in the home straight.
At the line the $14 chance had 5.3m to spare over Stirling Charmer, who began safely and led for the first 500m before handing up to Donoson and battling away once he got access to the sprint lane.
Donoson ($15) held on for third, almost two metres away. The mile rate was 1:58.8, which included impressive closing splits of 28.8 and 28.6 seconds.
The $16,000 Tontine Trotters Series Final provided a much happier result for favourite backers with Zanzi Bromac outclassing his rivals in the 2680-metre standing start event.
The David Murphy-trained-and-driven four-year-old displayed immaculate manners to cruise home by 5.2m from Prince Of All and Fiery Salute in a 2:07.2 mile rate.
The same can’t be said of Continentalcastleton, who repeated his heat display when he galloped at the start and ruined any winning chance.
The $2.80 second elect cost himself about 75m and did a good job to hold on for fourth placing, less than 22m from the winner, after working around the field to the spot outside leader Zanzi Bromac with a lap to run.
The night’s other highlight was a Vicbred Super Series heat for the two-year-old fillies, in which Union Guy youngster Blucolla Tigerpie made it two wins from as many starts with a barnstorming 2:01.5 win.
