By Len Baker
Kilmore races on Tuesday last week featured an interesting eight-event program, with Bolinda duo trainer Brent Lilley and driver Chris Alford successful with four-year-old Spotlight.
The Muscle Hill-Imitating gelding took out the 1690-metre Beraldo Coffee Maiden Trotters mobile, much to the delight of owners and breeders Buckland Park Homestead.
Going forward once balanced after starting from inside the second line to park outside the leader Lindy Grace, Spotlight raced clear on the final bend after the pacemaker galloped to score easily by 5.3 metres from Aldebaran Gwen, with Mielicki running on late from the rear for third 11.6 metres away. The mile rate 2-02.
Monegeetta duo trainer David Miles and driver Jayden Baker landed the Jet Roofing 2Y0 Trotters Mobile over 2180 metres with Aldebaran Eagle-Rockin Shiraz filly Rockinwithattitude, leading all of the way from the pole to account for Sequence by 8.5 metres, returning a mile rate of 2-0.3. First starter Wyldcat was third 21.2 metres back.
Miles made it a training double after four-year-old Art Major-Our Priddy Diva mare Priddy Sublime, bred and raced by the Pridmore family, scored in the Carlton and United Breweries Pace over 1690 metres in a rate of 2-02.2.
Driven by Miles, Priddy Sublime after beginning fast to lead from gate six was eased to trail Mon Bel Ange, with So She Said third, 7.6 metres away.
Visiting Tasmanian trainer Ben Yole, based in Kilmore, is having a ball in his former state and seven-year-old Mach Three-Love The Red mare Machavelli led throughout in the 2180-metre Momentum Gaming Pace, snaring both the trifecta and first four from Denstown, Coveffe Hustler and Heidi Go Seek. The margins 9.8, 5.1 and 1.5 metres in a mile rate of 2-00.7.
Ardmona trainer/driver Donna Castles’ honest six-year-old Bacardi Lindy-Im Tina Turner mare Dances snared the Buds and Branches Florist Trotters Mobile over 2180 metres, using the sprint lane off his back to prevail by a nose from the leader Abitofadreamer in a rate of 2-04.5. Amunet was third 1.6 metres away.
Beautifully-bred Always B Miki-Our Crime Of Passion filly Crimes Of A Lady, bred and raced by Tony and Pam Coniglio, was victorious when making her race debut for Colac’s Courtney Slater in the O’Brien Electrical 2Y0 Pace over 1690 metres.
Another tough winner on the program was trained by Parwan’s Craig Demmler and driven by Jodi Quinlan – Betting Line-Christian Line filly Gipsy Princess in the MC Security 3Y0 Maiden Pace over 1690 metres.
Wahring trainer Danny Thackeray made a long awaited return to the winners’ list in Victoria when much travelled six-year-old Alta Christiano-Ima Ritzy gelding Hancocks Hero greeted the judge in the 1690-metre C&M Build Group Pace.
Myrniong based co-trainers Blake and Ted Caruana would have been over the moon when ex-Kiwi Hes Watching-Eagletons Girl five-year-old entire Eagle Watch gave them their first combination winner by taking the PCFA Critical Catch Pace over 2180 metres.
Yole and Jack Laugher made it a double after 11-year-old Mr Feelgood-Good Lookin Girl gelding Good Feelings led throughout from gate five in the 2180-metre Worlds Best Hoof Oil Pace.
The next Kilmore meeting will be on Thursday.
