Victoria’s harness racing headquarters proved a night out for the locals with the Gath stable producing a treble and both young and old breaking through.
While Andy and Kate Gath were a dominant force in the winners’ circle, with the Long Forrest stable scoring with Arden Voyager, Justamollyarcher and Monaro Maro, it was arguably their stablehand Jordan Leedham and Lance Justice’s old warrior, Love Ina Chevy, who stole the headlines.
Leedham, 18, brought up his first metropolitan win in his metropolitan drive when he scored on Boy From Bondi for Wayne Potter (click the link to read more).
Then, two races later, a horse half the young reinsman’s age broke through for a 28th win in his 161st start.
Love Ina Chevy has long been celebrated for his miracle comeback from a snakebite and Justice’s nine-year-old gelding tonight broke through for his first win since August 28 when he pipped Sirletic to win the Rokon Pty Ltd Pace.
Justice said while it was clear the stable favourite was getting on in age he still loved to run.
“This afternoon he was out in the paddock and I looked at him and thought retirement for this old fella, but … he loves to race, he’s sound, he’s well, his track work has been enormous,” he told Trots Vision.
“We’ve been bringing him here through the week and working him on the main track and he’s been going really good.
“I just love the old horse. This horse, to win that much money – I think he’s won $255,000 since he had that snakebite years ago – so he’s done a huge job.”
Tonight Love Ina Chevy sat three back on the fence as the field settled into single file behind leader and favourite Boncel Benjamin, who cracked open the race with a 29-second second quarter.
He looked to be en route to victory but Sirletic and Love Ina Chevy boxed on, with the latter narrowly scoring by a half-head.
It was a similar margin in the night’s headline trotting race, the TAB Derby Royale Trotters Free For All, when Andy Gath’s mare Monaro Maro continued her outstanding record after finding the front.
Reinswoman Kate Gath attacked from the gate to gain control of the race, with her main danger, Sparkling Success, soon looming to her outside and it would become a race in two.
Sparkling Success was valiant, but the mare had the answers tonight and recorded her 12th win since crossing the Tasman to join Gath’s stable.
“She does like to be out in front and running pretty solid and she held Sparkling Success on the line pretty comfortably,” Kate Gath told Trots Vision.
“She can run pretty good time. She’s just got better and better and she’s definitely developed into a pretty nice mare.”
The night also featured a big result for Leigh Graham with the Bendigo trainer’s five-year-old Nephew Of Sonoko breaking through for the first time in 12 months for the richest win of his 70-start career.
In the keenly contested Aldebaran Park Vicbred Platinum Metropolitan Trot Final, a $30,000 Group 2, Nephew Of Sonoko had to do it tough, having moved to the breeze with a lap, sitting outside favourite Anywhere Hugo.
The front pair separated from the field amid a 29.6s third quarter and in a 28.7s sprint home Nephew Of Sonoko cleared out for reinsman James Herbertson to win by 3.5 metres.
“He’s a nice horse who I’ve had a fair bit to do with throughout his career,” Herbertson told Trots Vision. “He’s still learning his trade, didn’t really put them away tonight but if he was switched on he probably would have won by a bit further.
“He’s a nice little horse, great for Leigh and Ross (Graham) and the crew, they do a great job with their horses and he’s been very consistent of late. To get a Group 2 for them, it’s really good.”
Tonight also featured the heats of the Alabar Vicbred Platinum Metropolitan Pace, with Santa Casa Beach producing something of a surprise in winning the first heat and then favourite Iconic Major struck late to win the second. They’ll be among the qualifiers to advance to next Saturday night’s $30,000 final at Tabcorp Park Melton.
Trainer-driver Mick Stanley also exited Melton with a smile after Iolanta scored in the Allied Express Richmond Lass, winning the $30,000 mares Group 3 by a short half-head from Spellbound.
For the latter it was her first loss since crossing from New Zealand for new trainer Nathan Purdon, but she would have lost no admirers in overcoming a tricky gate eight draw and still threatening Stanley’s talented four-year-old late.
The final winner of the night was Miss Blue Glory, who scored in the Catanach’s Jewellers Pace for trainer Adam Kelly and reinsman Zac Phillips, a third win in four outings for the well travelled former New Zealand and Queensland mare.
