Teammates one week, arch-rivals the next.
That’s how things have changed in seven days for prominent Victorian owners Danny Zavitsanos and Ray Sellwood.
The pair combined as co-owners of buzz filly Arrhythmia, who stretched her unbeaten record to seven races with a narrow but outstanding win in the $100,000 Vicbred 2YO fillies’ final at Melton last Saturday night.
This week they stand in different corners for the $100,000 Vicbred final for four-year-old entires and geldings.
The Geelong-based Zavitsanos, one of Australia’s most influential owners, has the ultra-consistent War Dan Buddy, a winner of 11 races and almost $430,000.
Selwood, a self-proclaimed “bushie” from Undera in the Goulburn Valley, bred and races the outstanding Miki To Success with a group of mates.
Both pacers are trained by Emma Stewart and Clayton Tonkin and won the only two semi-finals of the Vicbred at Ballarat last Thursday.
Miki To Success has won 16 of his 33 starts, ran a terrific fifth in the $2.1mil TAB Eureka in September and has banked $341,905.
“It was fantastic to share the win last week, but Danny referred to me as a ‘father figure’ and that didn’t go down well, so I’m keen to get one back on him this week,” Sellwood laughed.
“That filly (Arrhythmia) has been a real surprise packet. We sent her to Tassie to try and win a race or two at the start, but she’s just kept getting better and better with every run. She’s now won seven on end.
“She might be really good, I guess we will know when she comes back in the nice three-year-old races next season.
“She’s just so well mannered and does everything right … I wish I could say the same for ‘Miki’ (To Success).
“He’s certainly got his quirks, always has, and they’ve surfaced again in the past two starts even though he’s still been able to win.”
Miki To Success was stood-down pending a satisfactory trial after hopping and skipping for a few strides while leading and causing a chain reaction of interference through the field.
“He was a handful for Jackie (Barker, driver) the start before, too,” Sellwood said. “It’s annoying and it’s dangerous, but only seems to happen when he’s in front. It’s like he sees ghosts.
“We took him to Maryborough last weekend for the trial where Jackie drove him and he did everything right.
“It’s a year since he’s done that, but it’s concerning that he’s started doing it again.
“If we drive him with a sit, he’s fine, but that then doesn’t suit his racing style because he’s an old-fashioned stayer who needs to get rolling a long way home and can maintain his speed for a long way. He hasn’t got that brilliant turn of foot of his stablemates like Bay Of Biscay of War Dan Buddy.
“That’s why Danny’s horse will be a real danger this week if our guy doesn’t do everything right.”
Miki To Success is out to defend his Vicbred crown, having scored the first feature win of his career in last year’s 3YO final. War Dan Buddy finished fourth.
Interestingly, Australia’s new pacing sensation Kingman, winner of the Victoria and NZ Cups in recent weeks, ran third in that race.
Last year’s Vicbred final win on Miki To Success was Barker’s first at Group 1 level.
