Keayang Livana adorns the Facebook profile page of regular driver Jason Lee, who’s pictured pumping his fist as the pair charge to the line in last year’s Vicbred Super Series 4YO Trotting Mares Final.
That Group 1 success was the exclamation mark on a fabulous season for the daughter of Imperial Count, who was sent for a spell following that career-defining triumph.
And the wait to see her back is nearly over for Lee and his mother Margaret (trainer), who will take the star mare back to the scene of that victory this Saturday night.
Keayang Livana is one of the headline acts set to step out in the Group 3 Hygain La Coocaracha Trotters Free For All, where she will take on the likes of Emerald Stride, who is first-up for trainer David Miles, and last-start winners Royal Charlotte (Paul Males) and Norquay (Chris Svanosio) in the mares-only event.
The time-honoured TAB Italian Cup is another of the features on the Tabcorp Park Melton card, and it has drawn a sensational field of stars. The red-hot Boy From Bondi (Wayne Potter) gets the barrier draw advantage over a back row of guns that include Code Bailey (Margaret Lee), Malcolms Rhythm (David Aiken), Shadow Sax (Matthew Craven), Bettor Be The Bomb (Basil Dooley) and Max Delight (David Aiken).
Andy Gath’s top Kiwi import Tango Tara, who was beaten in dramatic circumstances last Saturday night, is set to reappear in the Mimosa Homes Pace, where he will clash with Michael Stanley’s Bar Room Banta and David Moran’s Patsbeachstorm.
The Melton card is the pinnacle of another big week in Victorian harness racing, and as usual, Trots Vision coverage will be live and free via thetrots.com.au to bring you all of the action from across the state.
THE WEEK AHEAD
TUESDAY
Shepparton (night)
Luke Humphreys will call all the action from the Goulburn Valley, where the Neatline Homes Trotters Handicap provides one of the more intriguing battles on the card. The first will go from 4.58pm.
WEDNESDAY
Bendigo (night)
Lachlan McIntosh jumps behind the binoculars for 11 races from Lord’s Raceway, with the first off at 5.27pm.
THURSDAY
Kilmore (night)
Lachie’s back to call 10 races from Kilmore, with the opener kicking off the meeting at 4.55pm.
FRIDAY
Mildura (day)
Attention turns to Bernie Winkle and whether he can extend his brilliant record in the Sunraysia. His win last week earned him the official “King of Mildura” title, with the eight-year-old becoming the winningest pacer or trotter at the circuit. He can move past Scotch Notch (28 at Moonee Valley) on the modern era’s list of most wins at a single Victorian track with victory in the Tenderprint Australia Pace.
Geelong (night)
Dan Mielicki is in the tower for the night meeting from Beckley Park, which gets underway just before the last race at Mildura at 5.35pm.
SATURDAY
Tabcorp Park Melton (night)
The return of the time-honoured TAB Italian Cup has drawn a brilliant field of fast class pacers and shares the headlines with the Group 3 Hygain La Coocaracha Trotters Free For All, where we see the return of star mare Keayang Livana.
SUNDAY
Shepparton (twilight)
Shepparton plays host to the Mooroopna Harness Racing Club meeting, with the Lift N Shift Mooroopna Pacing Cup and Cleave’s Earthmoving and Excavation Mooroopna Trotters Cup the features at $4500 each.
MONDAY
Warragul (day)
The new week kicks off in Gippsland, with Warragul hosting its first meeting since May 24.
