IT was a night for the favourites in Kilmore’s latest seven-race card last Thursday, August 20.
James Herbertson took the first of three wins for the night aboard hot favourite Majestic Monarch in the first race, the OKR FM Trot over 2180m. Majestic Monarch took the lead at the back straight on the opening lap and never got headed, with the five-year-old jogging in and winning by 12 metres over Tweedledee. Aldebaran Jazmine finished third, with the mile rate 2.01.4.
Herbie looked in for a big night after the second race, taking the double in the La Dimora Retirement Resort Trot in the second race. Put simply, Against The Bridle was dominant, and was simply untouchable, winning by 30 metres. The six-year-old won from Walkin Understarz and Kalarney Prince, with the mile rate a very solid 1.58.8.
The JC Windows Maiden Pace was a little closer, with Sterling Gigi another short-priced favourite saluting. Clearly, running at the front for much of the race was the winning strategy across the first two races, and two-year-old Sterling Gigi was no exception for trainer/driver Paul Grech, holding out the challenges of Ride High Captin and Dyganali. The mile rate was 2.02.7.
Largely unbackable favourite Kings Gallery reversed the trend in race four, making its move across the back straight and whizzing down the home straight to take the O’Briens Electrical Pace by 13.5 metres for trainer/driver Chris Svanosio. The race for the minors was close, with Tobys Shout holding out for second and Miki Mark taking third. The mile rate was 1.58.4.
Liberty Star Dust was the first of the less-favourable runners to meet the photo first, utilising a beautiful run one out/one back to take the MC Labour Pace in race five. The rockstar name with the rockstar colours indeed had the rockstar finish for trainer/driver Jodi Quinlan, overhauling Frosty Drop, while Sports Wrack finished third. The mile rate an even two minutes.
In the C&M Build Group Trot, Herbie made it three wins from three starts on the hot favourite Ox Knox. Ox Knox sat beautifully on the sprint lane for most of the race, before using it wisely to do more than enough to win from Amour Maternal and Call Me Jack in what was quite a close race, doing so in a mile rate of 2.01.9.
Going for a fourth win from four starts wasn’t to be for Herbie however, with trainer/driver Daryl Crone stopping his hot run in the Picklebet ‘Get Your Pickle On’ four-year-old and older Maiden Trot to round out the night. Moissanite ambushed the field on the back straight in the opening lap to drive to the front, before going on with the job to finish strongly, winning by 25 metres from Delta Gee, with Mi Bow finishing third. The mile rate was 2.03.6.
Another action-packed card is on the agenda for Thursday, August 27.
