Star Kiwi trotter Stent has blown the race wide open to be crowned the 2013/14 Australian Pacing Gold Trotting Masters champion.
Heading into last night’s (Saturday) Gr.1 $100,000 Seelite Windows & Doors Australian Trotting Grand Prix at TABCORP Park, Melton it was gridlock at the top of the leaderboard with a sole point separating three trotters.
Dominion Handicap winner Master Lavros held a slender lead over Glenferrie Farm Challenge winner Keystone Del and the ultra-consistent Stent.
But the success of Stent last night has seen him race away with a clear lead at the halfway point of the season.
The Colin DeFilippi trained and driven five-year-old capitalized on a lovely run against the pegs throughout before forcing clear off the back straight and proving to be a decisive winner by five metres from Aleppo Midas and My High Expectations in a time of 1;59.1 for the 2240m event.
Stent is raced by well-known identity Trevor Casey.
The Dream Vacation – Belle Galleon gelding will back-up in next week’s Great Southern Star, a heat/final concept conducted on the same night which has been modelled on Sweden’s universally revered Elitlopp.
Two heats of $50,000 will be staged before progressing to a $250,000 final.
Three legs of the series remain with the Gr.1 $300,000 Great Southern Star at TABCORP Park, Melton scheduled for next weekend (March 22) before the action returns to Auckland.
The $80,000 Glenferrie Farm Anzac Cup will be held on April 25 followed by the $150,000 Canam Rowe Cup completes the season on May 9.
The Australian Pacing Gold Trotting Masters leaderboard is as follows;
Stent (200 points)
Keystone Del (120)
Master Lavros (101)
Aleppo Midas, Stig (60)
