The tables were turned on the Woodlands Stud three-year-old fillies class in this year’s TAB Breeders Crown, with a rain-soaked Kilmore seeing the favourites fall short.
In particular, brilliant All Stars Racing filly Our Princess Tiffany failed to find the line as her reputation and $1.04 favourtism would suggest, but she’ll have plenty of time to make amends beginning with the August 17 semi-finals at Bendigo.
Instead Two Times Bettor re-emerged as a contender for trainer Emma Stewart and reinswoman Kate Gath, sitting in the breeze outside Miss Streisand and holding Kiwi Best Western, New South Wales entrant Myra Dawn and the aforementioned Our Princess Tiffany to score a ninth win in 23 outings.
“She’s a great little filly,” Gath told TrotsVision. “She’s got good gate speed, she was just a bit stiff tonight not to find the front, but she proved too good, sitting outside and beating them. Next time they might hand it over to her if she does have an ordinary draw.”
Gath said with luck Two Times Bettor, a full sister to two-time Inter Dominion placegetter Flaming Flutter, was well placed to have a big crack at the Crown on the August 24 finals night.
“She’s just been crucified by draws during the big races, that’s just made all the difference to where she’s finished. She could easily pick one up with the right draw,” she said.
“She’s been terrific. She’s flying, her last three or four races have just been outstanding. She’s racing as good as she ever has. She’s tough, she’s got good speed as well, she’s just a great little filly.”
Seemingly on the back of tonight’s win Two Times Bettor shortened from $17 to $4 to win the series on TAB.com.au’s all-in market.
There was also plenty of delight in Jess Tubbs and Greg Sugars’ camp after the Larajay Farm team claimed the first heat with $11-shot Larajay Macray, who held the front from gate one and, in torrid conditions, put the field asleep before rallying for a memorable win.
Sugars got away with 33.2, 32.2 and 31-second quarters before stretching out in the last to record a 3.5-metre win, a nice complement for the Vicbred Super Series heat win the filly claimed at Kilmore in June.
“Pretty ordinary conditions out there tonight, so we were able to get away with murder in front, which obviously all helps,” Sugars told Trots Vision.
“This one was bred by my wife Jess and long-term supporter of the family in Ian Kitchen. The first one they bred in partnership, so that’s why she has the moniker Larajay, which is our farm, and Macray, obviously which is synonymous with Ian Kitchen’s breed. Very special. She’s done a lovely job, so we are very happy with her.”
In a tweet Jess was quick to deflect all credit to Mr Kitchen:
Love to take the breeding credit but Kitch bred Elva & she was a wedding gift. No offence to anyone else, but Kitch definitely wins honours for best present Rapt to share this win with a long term friend and one of dad’s very best mates https://t.co/e8XXQggm2u
— Larajay Farm (@LarajayFarm) August 8, 2019
