By Mary Hackshaw
IT was an all the way win for the Lee and Shannon Hope trained mare Royal Lass at Benalla on Friday.
Jumping to an early lead, the four-year-old Royal Meeting mare was never challenged, winning comfortably under the guidance of jockey Patrick Moloney.
The mare has rarely been out of the money, it was her third win from 16 starts, and she has a further five placings under her belt since scoring her maiden win at Seymour on November 15 last year.
Royal Lass is out of the Magic Albert mare Albert’s Lass, who was also raced by Mangalore Park, and who bred Royal Lass.
There was only one race meeting in Victoria on Saturday due to the AFL Grand Final, prompting Victorian trainers to cross the border to meetings at Jerilderie and Grenfell.
Seymour trainer Saab Hasan was successful at Jerilderie with Highland Belle in the maiden 1000 metre event.
Kilmore’s Tyson Barton was successful in the Benchmark 50 – 1400 metre event with Where Ya Bean, ridden by Stephen Brown junior, the son of Seymour trainer Stephen Brown.
