Two Victorian provincial cup meetings were held on Sunday, with the Mallee Bull pacing and trotting events run and won at the once-a-year Birchip races before Wangaratta’s Avian Park Paceway hosted its annual features.
Sponsored locally by Sharp’s Bakery, a full field of nine contested the $4,500 (graduation class) Mallee Bull Pacing Cup over 2150 metres with the victor being smart four-year-old Captain Treacherous-Southwind Arden gelding Platinum Stride for Charlton trainer Shane Sanderson.
Driven by son Ryan, Platinum Stride (gate five) raced exposed for the majority of the journey, proving much too classy for Cee Cee In America, who was trained by Joe Thompson and driven by Ryan’s sister Abbey. Malibu Jack was third for Geoffrey Clout and Jack Laugher.
Raced by Emilio and Mary Rosati under the banner of E & M Stride, Platinum Stride returned a mile rate of 2:01.3min, which was .9 of a second outside Gollahman’s 2:00.2min set in 2019.
The $4,500 TMC Enviro Mallee Bull Trotters Cup over the same journey saw veteran Hamilton mentor Jim Barker and reinsman son Rodney victorious with nine-year-old Armbro Variable-Great And Small gelding Jack Of The Green, who chalked up his fifth success (20 placings) in 77 outings.
Stepping cleanly from barrier three to trail the pacemaker Penelope, who began fast from outside the front line, Jack Of The Green enjoyed a comfortable passage. Angling into the clear when the leader galloped approaching the home turn and after Quick Witted (one/one) had taken over, Jack Of The Green drew level shortly after and raced clear to win by 3.5m over Quick Witted in a mile rate of 2:07.7min. Seventy metre backmarker Glorious Finale, a stablemate of Jack Of The Green, was third. He joined the leaders three wide on the final bend before giving ground shortly after.
The $14,500 Wangaratta Pacing Cup (2210m), sponsored by Yarrawonga Refrigeration and Airconditioning, has a long history and in years gone bye has attracted good quality horses to contest the race, with many trainers crossing the border from NSW to try and claim the major prize.
A field of only eight runners lined up this year, with interstate visitors being Nerano from Narrandera and Zadaka from South Australia.
And in an even graded event, it was the Riverina visitor Nerano who was the victor.
Trained by Ellen Bartley and driven by the district’s leading reinsman Blake Jones, Nerano was restrained from gate three to land three back in the moving line as Wayne Potter’s Allshookup led from gate two, with Brallos Pass beginning well from the second line to be trapped in the open.
There were no changes until the last lap when Daryl Douglas took off swiftly three wide from the rear, with Nerano immediately latching to his back for a nice trail home. Easing three wide on the final bend as Allshookup kicked clear, Nerano finished at the rate of knots to prevail by 2.3m from Rick Reilly, who trailed the pacemaker and eased away from the inside in the straight. Allshookup held down third a head away.
The mile rate of 1:58.8min (last half 56.7sec – quarter 27.9sec) was .5 of a second outside Think About Me’s leading mark of 1:58.3min set in 2020.
The $14,500 Café The V Wangaratta Trotters Cup, over the long journey of 2615m, saw Euroa trainer/driver David Jack successful with six-year-old Majestic Son-Escandolo gelding Moreton Bay as a short-priced favourite.
He was too good in a mile rate of 2:04.3min, which was outside My High Expectations’ time of 2:04 in 2013.
Stepping safely but slowly from the pole, Moreton Bay was headed by Sonny Pride from barrier three before coming away from the markers to issue a challenge. This proved fruitless, but as luck would have it, the favourite was able to again drop to the leader’s back. Still in a tight pocket in the final circuit with Gil Favour outside him, Moreton Bay was able to extricate into the clear on the home turn after Sonny Brooke had kicked away. Finishing best, Moreton Bay scored easily by 11.3m over Sonny Brooke, with Garshaway third a half neck back after trailing the pair.
