Inter Dominion aspirant Oliver Dan reasserted his ranking among Victoria’s best pacers when he returned to the winner’s list in the Hertz Melton Free For All on Saturday night.
Oliver Dan enjoyed a cosy run on the back of the leader My Ultimate Barney before James Herbertson eased the son of Bettors Delight to the outside turning for home.
Oliver Dan ($5) sprinted quickly and put the race beyond doubt half-way down the running to score by three metres in a slick mile rate of 1:51 for the 1720-metre trip.
Herbertson said the Emma Stewart-trained Oliver Dan had been disadvantaged by awkward barrier draws recently.
“He just hasn’t been getting the right trip racing against horses having cheaper runs and that sort of thing, but tonight everything was perfect,” Herbertson said.
Herbertson said the pacer’s last win in August last year in Sydney underlines his raw talent.
“If you go back to his Menangle form – he was so powerful when he won up there going 48, and you just don’t see horses do what he did,” he said.
“He was probably up in class a little bit tonight and just got the right trip. I think it just comes down to getting the right trip with him.”
Oliver Dan is one of three horses heading to Brisbane for the Inter Dominion series under the banner of Team Zav, with Fox Dan and War Dan Buddy making up the trio.
Earlier in the night, Some American provided the Stewart stable with the first of a winning treble when he led all the way to score first-up in the Swift Signs Pace.
Some American ($2.60) had little difficulty in crossing to the lead from his wide draw and appeared to have something in reserve, holding a three-metre margin from Day Two in a mile rate of 1:54.4.
It was the multiple Group 1 placegetter’s first appearance at the racetrack since September last year.
Driver Ryan Sanderson believes Some American can achieve success at the elite level.
“He has always been in big races and beaten home a lot of great horses, and he is capable of winning a big race like a Grand Circuit race now,” Sanderson said.
Lightly-raced three-year-old Most Exciting completed the stable treble with an authoritative win against the older horses in the final event.
Mark Pitt was allowed to dictate the terms of the race to suit himself on the $1.20 favourite as the field settled into single file formation and the race turned into a dash to the line in a 26.8 last 400 metres.
Pitt said the son of Always B Miki still has some ringcraft to learn.
“There are some bigger fish to fry later on in the season, but he felt super tonight. He got a little bit lost out in front on his own, but I’m sure once he has a few more runs and works it out then he’ll be one to watch,” Pitt said.
Meanwhile, connections of NSW Trotters Derby winner Pastor Dunbar are undecided whether the promising colt will head north and tackle the Group 1 Yabby Dam Farms Great Square in July.
Pastor Dunbar ($2.70 fav) was successful at his Melton debut when he ran to the lead with a lap to travel and proved too strong for his rivals in the Aldebaran Park Vicbred Voucher Trot.
Trainer Damian Wilson is mindful of the task at hand if taking on the four-year-olds in the Great Square.
“It is hard because we’re going to take on a couple of free-for-allers up there,” Wilson said.
“We’ll either go there or he’ll go straight to the paddock now. We’ll have a chat on the way home and make a decision.”
