A large crowd rung in the New Year at Tabcorp Park Melton trots last night and witnessed an exciting first heat of the inaugural Mercury80 series.
Venue management confirmed over 8000 people were in attendance throughout the night, with people still flocking to the course during the latter races to grab what vantage points remained for the fireworks extravaganza at midnight.
Liftntorque boomed down the outside for champion driver and trainer combination, Chris Alford and Emma Stewart, clocking 83.4 seconds for the 1200m in the first heat of the Mercury80 and duly secured a start in the January 25, Group 2 $50,000 Mercury80 Final.
The winning pacer’s excited owners – who paid just $6000 for the now winner of over $103,000 – were confident of their chances in the final and said they would be hiring a bus for the January 25 meeting to “make a big night of it”.
Andy Gath-trained Van Mara also secured automatic qualification for the final by finishing second beaten 2.4m, while stablemate Konan produced a strong first-up performance to run third beaten 4.5m.
Liftntorque was last in the run at the 400m but sprouted wings inside the final furlong, the last half-mile posted in 56.2 seconds.
The second of the Mercury80 heats will be run at Melton on Saturday night and will be contested by 70-79 rated pacers.
Tabcorp Park committed $1 from every drink sold at the outdoor pop-up bars during the night to the Country Fire Authority (CFA).
Other winners on the program were Tuscan Dawn at big odds for Anne-Maree Conroy in the DNR Logistics Trot, former Kiwi Philadelphia Freedom first-up for Aaron Dunn in the Hygain Maiden Pace, Michael Hughes-trained Easy Rolling for driver Rodney Petroff in the Alabar 3YO Pace, Shadow Justice for Alison and Chris Alford in the Helloworld Melton Trot, Illawong Byron for Jodi Quinlan in the Cool Ridge Trotters Handicap, Mach Hu for Lance Justice in the Schweppes Signature Series Pace, Our Sir Oliver for Michelle Phillips and Norm McVitty in the Schweppes Pace, and Peter Manning-trained, Kerryn Manning-driven Dublin Chubb in the Aldebaran Park 3YO Trot.
How good’s the crowd! @TonkinStewart & @ChrisAlford5000 take out the first #Mercury80 heat with Liftntorque! https://t.co/eZ1j43gIE0
— Ashlea Brennan (@ashbrennanphoto) December 31, 2019
nothing wrong with that for a race… very exciting #mercury80
— Ben Krahe (@benkrahe) December 31, 2019
Race 4 Melton 1200m race… exciting and free beer for patrons if they can break 80 secs #fastnfurious #sprint #dashforcash @Tabcorp_Park
— Dean Pettit (@deanpet74) December 31, 2019
MASSIVE CROWD ROYAL MELTON #TAKEONTOM https://t.co/1FBIAnqCSg
— Tom Hogan (@gothevikings) December 31, 2019
Pictures by Stuart McCormick
