Two talented trotters have emerged from the pack and look well placed to book end the New Year’s Eve celebrations with success.
Always Ready was sublime in dominating his Aldebaran Park Vicbred Super Series heat at Shepparton last night, careering away to a 27-metre victory, and only a tricky back row draw appears to stand between the Yabby Dam Farms trotter and a Group 1 win.
The four-year-old entires and geldings will kick off the December 31 festivities, while the four-year-old mares will be the last of the 12 Group 1s, and the race looks to be in Keayang Livana’s keeping if yesterday’s heats were any indication.
She dominated for trainer Marg Lee and reinsman Jason Lee, getting home in 56.9 seconds to win by 18 metres, and with her gate three draw for the New Year’s Eve final looks well placed to register a first Group 1 win.
Royal Charlotte, last year’s Victorian and New South Wales trotters Oaks winner, was next best and booked a ticket to New Year’s Eve along with Bahroon, Georgias Pride, Majic Fair and Rockford Peach.
The second heat also proved a one-horse affair, with Sleepee dominant for trainer Alison Alford and reinsman Chris Alford, leading from gate seven and streeting clear to win by 27 metres.
The 2018 Breeders Crown winner was a $4 shot last night but proved in a class of her own, with favourite Fremarkspoetry tiring after sitting in the breeze and finishing 42 metres in arrears in fifth.
Peregrine Phoenix, Wisp Of Smoke, Fear The Yankee and Fox Force Five also advanced to the final, for which Sleepee has drawn gate 10, directly behind Keayang Livana.
While the latter appears to have an elementary route to victory in the mares’ final, it will be a little more complicated for the Anton Golino and Jack MacKinnon co-trained Always Ready who will start from gate 11 in the entires and geldings final.
Driven by Jason Lee, the Ready Cash four-year-old was outstanding in careering away in his heat to win by 26 metres, with a 56-second last half reaffirming his class and recording a 14th victory from 22 starts.
In the other heat, Sammy Showdown got the jump at the turn after, having sat in the breeze throughout, the leader galloped and trainer-driver Kylie Sugars capitalised.
But Flingitwingit had the fresh legs for Craig Cross and David Moran and scored by 1.8 metres amid a 29.7-second final quarter.
Beau Garcon finished a close and will start from gate one in the final, which kicks off proceedings at 5.23pm at Tabcorp Park Melton on December 31.
