Believe that performance
Goulburn Valley horsemen were front and square in some big money wins last weekend with Shepparton’s Nathan Jack leading the way.
Jack produced Eye Believe to win the $400,000 Australian Pacing Gold two-year-old fillies Gold Bullion at Menangle.
And reinsman Mark Pitt went within a short half-head of completing the two-year-old double in the lucrative series for GV horsemen on the Emma Stewart-trained Stormryder who was pipped on the post in the colts and geldings final by stablemate War Dan Buddy.
Stormryder still picked up $75,000 for finishing second.
Closer to home Byrneside horseman Damian Wilson claimed the $40,000 APG Bullion Consolation final for two-year-old colts and geldings at Melton with Byrneside Boom.
Eye Believe vindicated Jack’s faith in the two-year-old Captaintreacherous filly with a dominate win to pick up the $200,000 winner’s cheque.
Jack was upbeat about Eye Believe’s chances going into the final and his reinswoman partner Amanda Turnbull speared Eye Believe straight to the front over the 1609m trip and she was never in danger of being run down.
Eye Believe cruised home with more than 7m to spare from the longshot runner-up Luvareschs in 1:56 mile rate time which included a 27.3 final quarter.
There was a $250,000 bonus if the winner could break the track record mile rate of 1:52.2 for two-year-old pacers, but Jack said he wasn’t worried too much about that incentive.
‘‘The track was a bit heavy, so they won’t going to break records,’’ Jack said.
Eye Believe won her heat of the series effortlessly at Melton and has had only the four starts for two wins and two seconds.
The seconds were in a heat and final of the recent Bathurst Gold Tiara Classic.
Jack said in monetary terms it was the biggest win of his career as a driver or trainer.
He said Eye Believe would now go to the spelling paddock for a let-up with the Breeders Crown and Breeders Challenge on the filly’s radar later this year.
Byrneside Boom, having only his second start, put up a huge run to claim the Bullion Consolation at Melton.
The son of Sportswriter came from last at the bell and was forced to race three wide for most of the last 1000m, but was more than up to the challenge in an eye-catching performance.
Byrneside Boom was having only his second start after debuting with a fourth placing in a heat of the series when he broke stride and finished nearly 80m from the winner War Dan Buddy who went on to win the final at Menangle.
Jack eyes trots glory
Nathan Jack will be back at Menangle tomorrow night seeking more Group One glory.
Jack will partner the Rochester-trained Shesawish in the $75,000 Group One NSW Trotters Oaks and the Anton Golino-trained Im Ready Jet in the $100,000 Trotters Mile.
The Neville Pangrazio-trained Shesawhish has drawn barrier four over the 2300m trip and will be attempting to win her fourth race in succession at only her sixth start.
She has not raced since late March, but looks one of the main players.
Im Ready Jet has drawn the car park — barrier 11 — in the Trotters Mile, while fellow champion Victorian-trained mare Queen Elida has fared little better in barrier 10, but is still the one to beat.
Roryville outplays Gawn
Three-year-old pacer Roryville claimed his biggest scalp in his short career when he edged out the hot favourite Gawn in a heat of the APG Gold Bullion at Kilmore last week.
The Emma Stewart-trained and Mark Pitt-driven Gawn was a $1.12 chance, but had to be content with a neck loss to Roryville who was given the run of the race by his trainer-driver David Moran.
It was Roryville’s third win in his past five starts and his 12 starts have now produced 10 top three finishes and two fourth placings.
Back with a bang
Lightly-raced trotter Aldebaran Tanisha returned to racing in style at Kilmore for Wahring trainer-driver Mel Thackeray.
After being stood down at her previous run in late February when she tired badly, Thackeray was able to find the back of the pacemaker over the 2180m trip on Aldebaran Tanisha who sprint laned to a comfortable victory, accounting for the fast-finishing Clive Dalton-trained and Nathan Jack-driven Elegant Peak.
By Aldebaran Eagle, Aldebaran Tanisha has had only the five starts for two wins and two seconds.
A Ludacrous effort
Nathan Jack made the most of his long trip to last week’s Charlton meeting.
Jack had the one drive at the meeting on the Kate Hargraeves-trained Ludacrous and made it count with an effortless front-of-the field display.
But punters didn’t get much satisfaction out of the win as Ludacrous was a $1.08 favourite.
Final sectionals of 28.7 and 27.9 told the story of why the runner-up Joe Got Rolled couldn’t get any closer than 8m to the winner.
Beauty shines through
Bunbartha trainer John Newberry and his reinsman son Matt combined to win a heat of the Alabar Vicbred Platinum Mares Sprint Championship at Swan Hill this week.
They scored an all-the-way win with Kia Ora Beauty who upset the odds-on favourite Blood Moon with a blistering front-running display.
The five-year-old Rock N Roll Heaven mare rated a career PB of 1:54.2 in winning over the 1750m trip in which the Connor Crook-trained Alwaysbealady finished third, 16m from the winner.
Kia Ora Beauty was having her fourth start for Newberry and has been in stellar form in that time with two wins, a second and a fourth.
Hey Dude, I finally won
There was a sigh of relief from connections when the Laura Crossland-trained and driven pacer Macs A Dude finally broke his maiden status at Tuesday night’s Shepparton meeting.
The four-year-old son of Village Jolt, who was a $1.65 favourite, had chalked up nine top four finishes, including four seconds, from 13 previous tries.
He made no mistake this time with a dominant win with more than 14m to spare at the finishing line over the runner-up, pacesetter and second favourite Ya Bottom Dollar, who was also attempting to win his first race at his 14th start.
Macs A Dude is out of the Mach Three mare Macbess and is a half -brother of Dayraid, a winner of eight races.
Enjoying double-header
The Greg Fleming-Codi Rauchenberger combination has been making its mark of late and was to the fore twice on Tuesday night at Shepparton.
Rauchenberger drove the Fleming-trained Bart Bentley and Maurlen Annie to wins in successive races early in the program.
Bart Bentley, a three-year-old Bettors Delight gelding, completed successive wins after winning on the same track at his second start on April 19 after debuting with a third placing on April 13.
He is beautifully bred being out of the deceased Armbro Operative mare Jazz Opera, a winner of eight races from 24 starts, who has left winners of multiple races Jazz King, Real Bonus and Gollahman.
The Fleming-Rauchenberger team completed the running double with Maurlen Annie who claimed the two-year-old race in impressive style in a front-running role.
An American Ideal filly Maurlen Annie’s only two previous runs had produced second placings including a close-up second to Miki To Success in 1:54.9 mile rate time at her previous start at Melton.
On that effort she was an odds-on favourite on Tuesday night.
She is out of the Courage Under Fire mare Artic Fire, a winner of 21 races and more than $350,000 in prizemoney who has four other winners.
All that glitters is Gold
Echuca owners Norm and Joan Visca enjoyed a win with a trotter they bred and own Hold That Gold at Shepparton.
The Matthew Gath-trained and driven Angus Hall four-year-old gelding was a 40/1 chance and beat the long odds-on favourite Triumph Stride over the 1690m trip in sub two-minute mile rate time.
It was Hold That Gold’s second win in 14 starts.
Dining out on Alfresco
Western Terror gelding Alfresco got the win he deserved at Shepparton.
The Craig Turnbull-trained and Abbey Turnbull-driven pacer was coming off two seconds and a third at his previous three starts and punters agreed it was his turn this time, sending him out a $2.25 favourite.
Bred by Dean and Blanche Poole, who still have ownership interests in the pacer, Abbey gave Alfresco the run of the race on the back of the pacemaker Zaras All Good and zoomed to victory along the sprint lane to record his third win in 17 starts.
The win also completed a big night for female reinswomen who drove five of the nine winners on the program.
Coming up
Huge meeting at Shepparton on Sunday with 11 races down for decision in the McGrath Foundation Pink Day fundraiser for breast cancer.
Today: Yarra Valley (d) Mildura (n)
Tomorrow: Melton (n)
Sunday: Shepparton (d)
Monday: Horsham (d)
Tuesday: Kilmore (n)
Wednesday: Geelong (n)
Thursday: Cobram (n)