By Len Baker
The Kilmore Pacing Cup, first held in 1964 for a stake of 300 pounds ($600) over thirteen furlongs, continued to gain stature during the years to sit at the pinnacle of Victorian harness racing.
Friday saw the latest instalment, again sponsored by Jet Roofing over 2690 metres to the value of $80,000 and group two status, with four-year-old Rock N Roll Heaven-Long Live Lana gelding Rock N Roll Doo, trained and driven by Burrumbeet’s Michael Stanley, a convincing winner.
The gelding was trapped three wide from gate six with pole marker Torrid Saint leading as the mobile pulled away before handing over to NSW visitor Mach Shard, gate three.
Rock N Roll Doo progressed forward to surprisingly assume control reaching the winning post on the first occasion.
No pressure was applied as Supreme Dominator, gate six, was left exposed before gaining cover mid-race when the well-fancied Like A Wildfire vacated a spot three back in the moving line racing for the bell to park in the open.
The runs commenced in the final circuit with Macs Delight, one/two, sprinting hard as Honolua Bay trailed, with the pair trying to put themselves in the finish. However, Rock N Roll Doo, in quarters of 29.7, 30.7, a scintillating 26.7 and 27.9 for the last mile, careered away on turning to record an easy seven-metre margin over Torrid Saint along the sprint lane, with Honolua Bay out wide a further 1.7 metres away in third, 1.4 metres in advance of Mach Shard, which eased three wide on straightening.
Raced by Ballarat’s Brendan James under the banner of BFJ Bloodstock Trust, Rock N Roll Doo recorded an outstanding mile rate of 1:57.4 – 1.4 seconds outside Soho Tribeca’s track record set in 2018.
The group two $30,000 MC Labour Kilmore Trotters Cup over the marathon trip of 3150 metres was a stroll in the park for Orlando Vici-Heavens Above six-year-old gelding Just Believe, trained by Myrniong duo Jess Tubbs and reinsman husband Greg Sugars.
Stepping cleanly from 10 metres to settle one/one momentarily as All Cashed Up led from barrier two, Sugars wasted no time in sending Just Believe forward to cruise to the lead, hitting the front straight on the first occasion. Once there, he was able to dictate terms.
Although challenged hard by a death-seating Baltica approaching the final bend, Sugars was only kidding and when asked to do so, Just Believe raced clear to register an easy 4.2-metre victory over the 30-metre back marker Havehorsewilltravel, one/one last lap, with Baltica weakening slightly in the shadows of the post to be third a head away.
Raced by the Iona Trotter syndicate, Just Believe, with quarters of 31.4, 32.7, 28.6 and 28.9, returned a mile rate of 2:06.2, well outside I Didn’t Do It’s long-standing 2:03.1 set in 2012.
It was a night of great racing throughout the evening, with other winners being: Make Way, 7-Eleven Cup; Captain Ravishing, Reg Withers 3Y0 Classic; Musztang, O’Brien Electrical Pace; Hes Ideal, J & A Mazzetti Pace; Heza Sun Of A Gun, Carlton & United Breweries Pace; Plymouth Chubb, Buds & Branches Florist 3Y0 Trotters Mobile; Narutac Prince, C & M Build Group Pace; Vincenzina, Momentum Gaming Pace; and Anywhere Hugo, TAB Trotters Mobile.
Kilmore races again Monday, October 3.
