By Len Baker
A highlight of Kilmore’s Sunday night harness meeting was the $10,000 Hip Pocket Workwear Pace taken out by Kialla trainer and driver Stephen Boyington’s five-year-old Night School.
Beginning swiftly from gate two, the Blissful Hall-The Charm School gelding had to be driven hard to cross polemarker Lorimermajor shortly after the start of the 1690-metre race, but once there, was rated to perfection.
Giving his rivals the slip on turning, Night School scored comfortably by 5.8 metres in a mile rate of 1-58.6 over Daylight At Dawn and Lorimer Major, which held third a half head away.
The Momentum Gaming 2Y0 Trotters Mobile over 2180 metres opened the night with victory going to Beeac trainer/driver Courtney Slater’s Majestic Son-Idle Lea colt Emmwallen on debut.
Easing off the back of the pacemaker approaching the home turn to lead on the final bend, Ewing dashed clear with Emmwallen, which had raced in the open along the back straight, in hot pursuit.
Finishing stylishly, Emmwallen scored by 2.3 metres over Ewing returning a mile rate of 2-02.7.
Manda Kyvalley, driven brilliantly by James Herbertson, came from the tail along the markers for third 3.2 metres back.
Consistent seven-year-old Modern Art-Illawong Joyful gelding Illawong Jovial landed the 2180-metre Worlds Best Hoof Oil Pace for Bulla part-owner/trainer James Elliot and youthful Melton reinsman Adrian Pace. The mile rate two minutes even.
Ingilston trainer Luke Tabone was in the winners’ stall when three-year-old Rock N Roll Heaven-Whatahottie colt Im Wesley led most of the way in the MC Security Pace for concessional reinspersons over 1690 metres, just lasting by a half neck from a death-seating Bettororworse. The mile rate 1-58.4.
Tasmanian-based Michael Laugher, who makes many trips to and from Victoria, was successful with Feel The Reign, an eight-year-old Mr Feelgood-Viking Beachgirl rig, in the second concessional drivers race – The Jet Roofing Pace over 1690 metres.
Driven by Blake Pace, Feel The Reign slotted in beautifully with Iamawingate flying out to lead from outside the front line.
Easing three wide on the home turn, Feel The Reign finished solidly to score by 2.8 metres from a death-seating Miss Hermes who was gallant in defeat, with Angus Indianna third 1.1 metres back. The mile rate 1-59.5.
Kiwi trainer Arna Donnelly, who trains out of Cambridge in the Waikato, joined forces with James Herbertson to snare the Broadstead Kilmore 3Y0 Trotters Mobile over 2180 metres with Virginia Clowers, a daughter of Creatine and Gina who was making her debut on Australian soil.
Allowed to balance from inside the second line to settle with most of the field ahead of her, Virginia Clowers joined the three-wide line three back in the last lap as Maori Franklin headed the three-wide train being trailed by Salski in the moving line.
Taken to the centre of the track, Virgina Clowers picked her rivals up in a stride or two, recording a runaway 2.6-metre victory over polemarker Lucid along the sprint lane, with Salski holding down third 3.9 metres away. The mile rate 2-03.7.
The squaregaiting events at Kilmore are always good the watch and the 2660-metre Georgina and Co. Trotters Handicap was a great spectacle going the way of Junortoun trainer Carla Innes-Goodrich, a former Wallan resident, with honest seven-year-old Wishing Stone-Broadacrossthebeam gelding Zarem.
Coming from a 30-metre backmark, Zarem, raced by Carla and husband Dean Goodrich, ran home impressively to gain the day by 4.1 metres from Watch And Act along the sprint lane returning a mile rate of 2-06.2. Baxter was third 1.1 metres away. It was Zarem’s 12th success in 107 outings.
It was a quinella to the Kilmore gang when the Ben Yole/Robbie Walters team landed the Garrards Horse and Hound – The Thirties Pace (1st heat) over 2180 metres with nine-year-old Village Jolt-My Lady Macray gelding Nifty Jolt driven by Taylor Ford.
Flying away from outside the front line to lead, Nifty Jolt couldn’t be caught and greeted the judge 1.7 metres clear of Safe Jewels, which trailed from the pole after using the sprint lane. Trumpys Legend was third 5.6 metres away after trailing the pair. The mile rate 2-01.2.
The stable brought up a double after seven-year-old Four Starzzz Shark-Illustrator entire Image Of Starzzz landed the second heat with Taylor Youl in the sulky.
In what was a great drive, Image Of Starzzz starting from gate three on the second row came off the inside in the straight on the first occasion to be off and running in the back straight to assume control from stablemate Ideal Investment.
Rated well, Image Of Starzzz had a metre to spare on the wire, accounting for Seemeshineyheels from the rear, with Kilmore hope Kitch Macray third 3.1 metres back for George Schembri. The mile rate 2-02.9.
Kilmore will host its next harness meeting this Thursday.
