Trainer-driver Amy Day took matters into her own hands to land a special triumph in Friday night’s Ararat Advocate Ararat Pacing Cup.
Some quick reflexes helped Day secure victory in the $25,000 feature, with her charge Dance Away avoiding trouble approaching the home turn before racing clear to score by more than six metres on the line.
The Margaret Lee-prepared Highway To Heaven worked his way to the front from barrier seven as Day and the heavily-backed favourite settled nicely in the one-one from gate three. The leader caused chaos when he hung badly down the back straight the final time, but Day sensed the danger and quickly pulled Dance Away three-wide into clear air. The snap-decision proved a smart one as the six-year-old gelding kicked clear at the turn and held on to beat an unlucky Sweetpassion and Springfield Affair in third.
The reinswoman was overjoyed to break through for her first country cup success as a trainer.
“It does mean a lot. it’s a really good feeling,” the 33-year-old said.
The trotting feature of the night was the Ararat Premix King Ararat Trotters Cup, and it was the Kelvin Barker-prepared Mercenary who found the line first for driver James Herbertson.
Like Dance Away in the pacing feature, Mercenary found a spot in the one-one for much of the race and then made his run before the turn. He surged up to leader Keayang Xena at the top of the straight and finished the better to beat him by two metres.
The win was special for the reinsman, who knows the Ararat track all too well.
“I have been racing here since I first started, it’s a hard track to win at,” Herbertson said.
“Fortunately, tonight we were able to run him quiet and get a good run in transit.”
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