Not that he probably needs it, but Honolua Bay picked up the first of the golden tickets into the Inter Dominion Pacing Championship with a slick victory in the Westburn Grant Free For All at Melton on Saturday night.
The star pacer made it seven-straight wins since joining the Emma Stewart stable with a front-running success in the $24,000 feature.
The reigning Victorian four-year-old entire or gelding of the year led for most of the 2240m journey, with quarters of 30sec, 29.6sec, 27.5sec and 27.8sec leading to a mile rate of 1:53.2min.
He was getting weary on the line, but held on to win by just over a metre to Tango Tara (Andy and Kate Gath), with Torrid Saint (Julie Douglas/Jack Laugher) grabbing third.
The result secured a winning double for driver Mark Pitt, who said it was exciting for connections to be able to plan for ID22 given the Westburn Grant FFA carries direct entry into the November-December series.
“It’s a good way to be able to get into it,” Pitt said.
“It will make it a lot easier leading up to these races. They don’t have to be racing week in, week out trying to earn a spot.
“He’s earnt his spot.”
Saturday night saw Pitt have his first drive of Honolua Bay, who scored a first-up success for Nathan Jack in the Popular Alm Sprint at Kilmore on July 23.
The gelding won nine of 16 starts while trained by David Aiken early in his career and has not been beaten in seven runs for the Stewart camp.
He’s now won 16 races from 23 starts, including last year’s Group 1 Vicbred Super Series 4YO Entires and Geldings Final.
The other golden ticket races that carry direct entry into the ID22 pacing series are the Minuteman Free For All (3/9/22), Kilmore Pacing Cup (23/9/22) and Geelong Pacing Cup (22/10/22).