Chris Svanosio finished the meeting with a rush, landing the last two winners to bring up a training double at Melton on Saturday night.
Ultra-consistent trotter Kyvalley Maven ($3.70) found his way to the winner’s stall for the first time since July last year when he took out the Mimosa Homes Trot.
Kyvalley Maven’s task was made easier when the $2.30 favourite Keayang Lavita galloped when it was about to trot to the front with 400 metres to travel, leaving Svanosio and Kyvalley Maven clear to surge away in the home straight.
Svanosio said the five-year-old had been racing well without saluting.
“He was a really nice two-year-old and then he went by the wayside for a fair while. I couldn’t get him going and Marg and Paddy Lee took him and got him back on track for me,” Svanosio said.
“He’s been racing consistently without winning, but I have been rapt with nearly all his runs, so it’s good to finally get a win,” he said.
Svanosio said Kyvalley Maven showed considerable talent as a young horse.
“I thought the world of him as a two-year-old. He’s run second in two Vicbred Finals and I don’t know whether he’ll reach the heights I thought he might have, but we’re rapt to have him racing here consistently in these sorts of races,” he said.
The Svanosio-prepared Remus Phoenix appreciated the drop in class from last week’s Great Southern Star to complete the stable double in the Renown Silverware Trot.
Taylor Youl sent Remus Phoenix ($5.50) forward to sit parked outside the $1.35 favourite I Am Wilma with a lap to travel, and the pair drew clear in the home straight to fight out the finish.
Remus Phoenix had the edge in fitness over I Am Wilma, who was first up, and held a margin of four metres on the line in a mile rate of 1:59.5.
Youl said the five-year-old won against his normal pattern of racing.
“It’s definitely not his go to go to the chair and to sit parked, but to his credit he dug deep and did a good job,” Youl said.
“All of his runs so far have been full of merit and he’s hitting the line very well. Tonight’s run was good, so hopefully we’ve got him back,” she said.
The formidable Lee stable looks to have unearthed yet another above-average trotter after former New Zealand four-year-old Crusher Clyde gave his rivals a start and a beating in the Hygain Edge Trot.
Jason Lee eased Crusher Clyde off the gate at the start and allowed the son of Majestic Son to lob along at the rear of the field before making his run with 800 metres to travel.
Crusher Clyde ($2.80 fav) motored home wide from well back on the home turn to reel in Maximez in the shadows of the post, scoring by a neck, with Jack Sprat seven metres away third.
Lee conceded he took a pronounced, cautious approach with Crusher Clyde at the start.
“We haven’t taken him under race conditions behind the mobile yet and it’s no fib that we’ve had a bit of fun trying to get him qualified behind the mobile, as in New Zealand he’d only raced from the stand,” Lee said.
“I was pretty patient early and I was thinking to myself that I’ve probably been too patient, but he was good and just relaxed.
“He has plenty of potential and we’ve just got to try and get his ringcraft right,” he said.
