By Len Baker
The region’s harness competitors battled bitterly cold conditions at Kilmore trots last Tuesday evening but came away with plenty of winners.
Bolinda’s Alison and Chris Alford were victorious with improving four-year-old Betting Line-Maastricht mare Maas Betting Again who was outstanding in taking the $10,000 Beraldo Coffee Pace Final over 1690 metres.
Driven by Chris, Maas Betting Again appeared to throw away all chances when galloping away from gate four as the start was effected.
But she settled at the rear of the field, with Didshedoit leading from gate three.
Once balanced, Alford sent the mare forward with a rush approaching the bell to cross the leader shortly after and defy all challengers, defeating Didshedoit by an easy 6.4 metres, with Shania Tee using the sprint lane from the rear for third. The mile rate 1-56.8.
Another Bolinda winner was Brent Lilley’s quality four-year-old Sweet Lou-Zenola Starbuck gelding Hugo Maguire.
He landed the 2180-metre Jet Roofing Pace to give Alford a double.
Settling well back in the field from gate two on the second line, Hugo Maguire was set alight racing for the bell to cross the pacemaker Wharewhiti, which had used up plenty of petrol to lead from gate six.
Cruising for the final circuit, Hugo Maguire greeted the judge 11.1 metres in advance of Blissful Mind, which raced exposed for the last lap, with Wharewhiti battling on gamely to hold third 7.2 metres back. The mile rate 1-59.7.
Veteran Whittlesea octogenarian Charlie Farrugia snared the MC Security Pace over 1690 metres with Little Safari, an 11-year-old gelded son of Safari and Hanovian Princess who chalked up his 19th success at start number 179.
Raced by Charlie and grandson Darren Zahra, who drives the horse, Little Safari possied three back in the moving line from outside the front line as Kilmore hope La Toison Dor led from gate two for Ben Yole.
Going forward three wide on the home turn, Little Safari motored home down the centre of the track to score by 5.6 metres in 1-59.8, from Kilmore trained duo Major Comment, three wide last lap from the rear, and Good Feelings, which weaved in-between runners for third a half head away.
Ben and Taylor Youl combined to land the Buds and Branches Florist Pace over 1690 metres with six-year-old Pet Rock-Keep No Secrets mare Maywyns Jewel.
She led throughout to account for Francesco and Four Star Saint was third after racing exposed from the extreme draw. The margins 2.6 by 2.2 metres in a mile rate of two minutes even.
Former Kilmore trainer Paul Weidenbach, now based at Wahring in the Goulburn Valley, joined forces with Romsey’s Chris Svanosio to capture the Garrards Horse and Hound Maiden Trotters Mobile over 2180 metres with six-year-old Bad Boy Truscott-Spot Me Guv gelding Kalarney Prince.
Euroa trainer/driver Cameron Maggs scored with five-year-old Majestic Son-Sunday Service gelding Super Service in the 2150-metre Broadstead Kilmore Trotters Handicap.
Coming from 10 metres, Super Service was bottled up four back along the markers for most of the trip as Kilmore hope One Muscle Hill led from the pole for Monique Burnett.
Angling into the clear well into the straight, Super Service sprouted wings from what was an impossible position to prevail by a nose over 30-metre backmarker Kheiron for former locals Peter Lane and Anita Burke, which raced uncovered from the bell with Michael Bellman in the cart.
Watch And Act was third 1.4 metres back after dropping in one/one for a breather approaching the home turn. The mile rate 2-04.4.
Other winners were Myrniong trainer Jess Tubbs who combined with Josh Dickie aboard Sebastian K-Illawong Bardot gelding Wyldcat to land the 2180-metre Tellurian Wines 3Y0 Trotters Mobile; Parwan’s Craig Demmler trained and reined Hes Watching-Western Gretel gelding Western View to victory in the Carlton and United Breweries 3Y0 Pace over 2180 metres; while Strathfieldaye trainer Julie Douglas and concessional reinsman Adrian Pace enjoyed a double – six-year-old Betterthancheddar – Love The Look gelding Beta Than Love taking the Worlds Best Hoof Oil Pace over 1690 metres and three-year-old Vincent-Hazel B Hasty x-Kiwi gelding Our Vincent Can Gogh won the 2180 metre C and M Build Group Pace.
The next Kilmore harness meeting is tomorrow, Wednesday.
Another big night at Kilmore
KILMORE trots held its second meeting for the week last Sunday with a neat program catering for most classes.
The most interesting race of the night being the $10,000 claimer which consisted of six runners, all from the Strathfieldsaye stable of Julie Douglas returning a huge training percentage for her.
While it occurs on a regular basis in Tasmania involving the Ben Yole team, this was the first time in Victoria.
Bolinda’s Team Alford – Alison and Chris landed the Garrards Horse and Hound Trotters Mobile over 2189 metres with Bee Bee Beroc, a 4Y0 gelded son of Majestic Son and Jumanji Franco who produced a fantastic effort to score.
Wallan mentor Ruth Shinn’s 4Y0 A Rocknroll Dance-Shes Pinkalicious gelding Archaa was a most impressive victor of the Hip Pocket Workwear Pace over 2180 metres.
Sutton Grange trainer/driver- Ross Graham a regular at most Kilmore fixtures – took out Heat 1 of the Jet Roofing ‘The Thirties’ Pace over 1690 metres with 6Y0 Orlando Vici-The Sun Goddess gelding Self Exclusion to register his 7th victory in 84 outings.
Heat 2 of ‘The Thirties’ Pace sponsored by MC Securities went to Junortoun’s Ellen Tormey driving her dad John’s 7Y0 Western Terror-Thor Foot gelding Terroroan.
The Third heat saw Mount Cottrell trainer/driver Jeremy Quinlan’s 10Y0 Live Or Die-Foxi gelding Crafty Old Fox successful in 2-00.5.
Dunnstown’s David Murphy snared the 1690 metre Beraldo Coffee Pace with Art Major-Rocknroll Rama filly Major Drama, a prohibitive $1.20 favourite.
Four-year-old Angus Hall-Hold That Grin gelding, Hold That Gold, was a deserved winner of the Buds and Branches Florist Trotters Mobile over 2180 metres.
