By Len Baker
Kilmore-based Robbie Walters, presently looking after Tasmanian Ben Yole’s large team as well as his own, joined Bolinda’s Brent Lilley and Kilmore’s Monique Burnett and Josh Duggan on the winners’ list at Kilmore’s 11-race card on Friday.
Lilley was first to arrive when Kyvalley Amanda, driven by Chris Alford, led throughout to win the World’s Best Hoof Oil 3Y0 and older Maiden Trotters Mobile over 1690 metres.
She easily accounted for Sheetweb Weaver by 4.4 metres in 1-58.9, with Chasing Calder holding down third.
Burnett took all the spoils in the 2180-metre Jet Roofing Pace when her seven-year-old Four Starzzz Shark-Rock Melody gelding Have No Choice scorched away from outside the front line to lead.
He was never headed and lasted by a half head from Dabyminga, with Kellys Delight third. The mile rate 2-00.7.
It was then the Walters/Yole show with 10-year-old Mach Three-Madame Lily gelding Paddy Mach, also driven by Walters, chalking up his 14th victory in 194 outings by taking the C and M Build Group Pace over 1690 metres.
As Yole’s Fly Like An Eagle led from gate three, Paddy Mach finished best to score from a death-seating Final Bow, with Fly Like An Eagle third. The margins 1.1 by 3.2 metres in a mile rate of 1-58.9.
Six-year-old mare Didnt I, also trained by Yole, landed the Momentum Gaming Pace over 1690 metres.
Another Kilmore reinsman Josh Duggan, husband of Monique Burnett, guided Torrumbarry trainer Faye McEwan’s five-year-old Sky Valley-Misty Elle gelding Watch And Act to victory in the O’Brien Electrical Trotters Handicap over 2150 metres, bringing up two wins in a row.
Watch And Act coasted to the wire 12.2 metres in advance of Aldebaran Jaytee, with Tetra 1.7 metres away third in an all Kilmore area trifecta. The mile rate 2-04.6.
The highlight of the night was the 2180-metre $7000 Tellurian Wines Pace Final, for horses that qualified in the heats a week earlier.
The victor was Axedale trainer Mick Carbone’s heat winner five-year-old mare Smiling Shandy, driven by owner James Herbertson who was given an easy time from the pole.
Other winners at the meeting were Long Forest trainer Andy Gath with Robinmemates in the Beraldo Coffee Trotters Mobile over 2180 metres; Wheres Seggy, trained by Joe Pace, of Harkness near Melton, in the Grays Bendigo Pace over 2180 metres; Gigarre East trainer Gary Pekin’s tough gelding Cresco Threepeat won the MC Security Pace over 1690 metres; Lara owner/trainer Carson Miller snared the Georgina and Co Pace over 2180 metres with Night Spirit; and Daylesford trainer Anne-Maree Conroy’s six-year-old mare Aldebaran Belle overcame a 10-metre handicap to land the Carlton and United Breweries Trotters Handicap over 2150 metres in a mile rate of 2-04.7.
Kilmore harness races are on again this Thursday.
