Yuruga Sponsor Oaks

Harness Racing Victoria today announced that Yuruga Bloodstock will sponsor the Victoria Trotters Oaks at Moonee Valley on 10 June.

The Yuruga Bloodstock Victoria Trotters Oaks is a Group 1 event offering $30,000 in stakes for the three-year-old trotting fillies.

Based in Great Western, Yuruga Bloodstock is run by Darren and Anne Jacobson for principal David Burns and is home to the imported stallion Peace Of Art.

Yuruga also specialise in the state-of-the-art embryo transfer breeding with champion trotting mares La Coocaracha and Sumthingaboutmaori both inseminated there in recent months.

Nominations for the Yuruga Bloodstock Victoria Trotters Oaks close with HRV at noon on Friday, 4 June.

Gath Shooting Hoops

New Zealand's premier juvenile trotting filly Hoops has joined the stable of Australia's leading trainer Andy Gath.

A last start winner of the Group 2 NZ 2YO Trotting Stakes, the daughter of Above The Stars boasts three wins and two placings from her five appearances.

She was purchased by stable client Antonio Prochilo who also races classy three-year-old pacer Village Thriller with the Great Western trainer.

Hoops, who is eligible for the Breeders Crown, will make her Australian debut in a heat of the Tatlow Stakes at Maryborough next week en route to a Redwood Classic assault on 25 July.

Trotting Depth Strong

The depth amongst the local two-year-old trotting ranks has never been stronger with 29 acceptors for next Wednesday's Tatlow Stakes Heats at Maryborough.

An unprecedented three heats will be run as the countdown to Maryborough's prestigious Redwood Classic begins in earnest with the $5,000 qualifiers.

At stake for the babies is not only a berth in the $20,000 Tatlow Stakes Final (Group 3) at Moonee Valley on Thursday night, 10 June, but early bragging rights for the Redwood.

A pair of fillies, unbeaten Victorian Flash Teena and the highly-rated Kiwi import Hoops, will headline the talent on display at the Carisbrook Paceway.

Adding spice to the contest are five debutants including the Peter Manning-trained duo Pocket Fantasy and Avoine.

The Tatlow Stakes 2YO Trotters Heats will be run at 12.15pm, 12.50pm and 1.25pm (AEST) next Wednesday.

Cowboy Caldow

Exciting New South Wales juvenile Reggae Cowboy has joined the powerful Victorian stable of John and Maree Caldow.

The NSW Sapling Stakes winner has been sent south by owner-breeder Peter Lewis to contest the Vicbred Super Series and Australasian Breeders Crown.

"He's a welcome addition to the team," John Caldow said. "He goes along very nicely and will have his first trial tomorrow (at Cranbourne)."

A gelded son of Albert Albert, Reggae Cowboy boasts three wins and two placings from six starts including a last start victory in the Bathurst Gold Crown Consolation.

In other stable news, recent WA Derby placegetter Am I Tough will stay with the Caldows despite his quick exit from the Vicbred Super Series.

The tough three-year-old galloped when an odds-on favourite in the final heat and thus failed to qualify for last night's semi finals.

"He's not eligible for the Breeders Crown, so we'll poke around and try and pick up a metro three-year-old with him," Caldow said.

Sassy Settles In

Champion mare Sassy Sarah is settling in well to her new home at Longlea according to master trainer Brian Gath.

Gath this week took over training of the dual Breeders Crown champion from Mario Azzopardi after an ownership dispute was settled at public auction last week.

Part-owner Gordon Grech went to $255,000 to secure sole ownership of the five-year-old who boasts 23 wins, 11 placings and $445,866 in stakes from 44 starts.

Gath said last night that Sassy Sarah is "a week or two away" from returning to work after four months on the sideline following a liver displacement.

Grech has expressed a desire to chase back-to-back Ladyship Miles in Sydney in November, should she satisfy Gath with her recovery.

Tontine Finals On Sky

Sunday's prestigious Elgas Tontine Series Finals will be broadcast live from Ararat on Sky's pay-TV service.

Sky have kindly agreed to broadcast the two time-honoured regional features on both its channels.

The $8,000 Elgas Tontine Series Trotters Final will be run at 3.10pm and the $18,000 Pacers Final at 3.45pm.

Ararat's eight race feature program will be broadcast in full on Sky's pub and clubs channel from 12.15pm.

HRV Appeal Results

Leading junior reinsmen Daniel Jack and Rodney Petroff both had their objections against driving suspensions dismissed by the HRV Appeals Panel yesterday.

Jack was appealing against a two week suspension handed down at Ballarat on 15 May for causing interference. His penalty will apply from midnight tonight.

Petroff was appealing against a two week suspension imposed at Yarra Valley on 14 May for causing interference also.

His penalty remains as two weeks, however as two days had already been served the Panel decided the remaining 12 days suspension will apply from midnight on 30 May.