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James Herbertson was Johnny-on-the-spot as he guided consistent mare Aldebaran Crescent to a long-awaited maiden Group 1 success on Saturday night.
As a big crowd celebrated the WomenCan Team Teal campaign with a major fundraising event at Tabcorp Park Melton, Herbertson weaved his magic on the track behind the David Aiken-trained seven-year-old.
Herbertson saved the daughter of Majestic Son for one run and it proved the right move as she gunned down favourite Vacation Hill (Andy and Kate Gath) in the straight to win the Lyn McPherson Memorial Breed For Speed Gold Series Final.
In the end it was a dominant performance, with Aldebaran Crescent clearing out to score by almost 5m in a mile rate of 1:56.5min over the 1720m trip.
It was Herbertson’s first time partnering the mare, which came about due to regular reinsman Josh Aiken being booked for driving commitments at Menangle on Saturday night.
“Aiky (David Aiken) is a champion of the game and he’s just a champion bloke. Josh, as well, is following in his footsteps. He’s just a great driver,” Herbertson said.
“He got me on the horse tonight and I can’t thank him enough. I’ll take him out for dinner for that one.
“It’s just great, it’s a great feeling and who wouldn’t want to be winning Group 1s?”
Aldebaran Crescent’s record now stands at 13 wins from 64 runs for over $180,000 in prizemoney and she sits atop the Kerryn Manning Trotting Mares’ Triple Crown leaderboard after the opening leg of the series.
Earlier in the night, Fred Spiteri-trained Electrojet took out the Lyn McPherson Memorial Breed For Speed Silver Series Final for trotting mares rated between 52 and 66.
Jack Laugher had the reins of the five-year-old and after sitting in the one-one for much of the 1720m trip, he latched onto the back of three-wide runner Thats Not My Gait (Alison Alford/Josh Duggan) at the turn. It took some time, but Electrojet eventually wore down her rival in the straight and took out the Group 3 by a metre on the line. Spiteri-trained stablemate Normandy Belle finished third, 2.1m behind Thats Not My Gait.
The win was Electrojet’s seventh at start 31.
The Lyn McPherson Memorial Breed For Speed Bronze Series Final was for trotting mares rated up to 51 and it was taken out by four-year-old Paris Faith.
From the outside of the back row, trainer-driver Sam Barker decided to save the daughter of Majestic Son for one run at the end of the sprint trip. He brought her four wide on the turn and she was too slick for her rivals, scoring over the favourite pair of Sheza Chocolatier (Peter Salathiel/Mark Pitt) and Black And Gold (Brett Shipway/Michael Bellman).
Paris Faith’s victory was her second from 14 career starts.
Tabcorp Park played host to the annual Night at the Trots gala event, which brings in money for the WomenCan Team Teal campaign.
Team Teal is an initiative of WomenCan, a not-for-profit organisation that exists to raise funds for pioneering gynaecological cancer research and prevention and education programs through the Australia New Zealand Gynaecological Oncology Group (ANZGOG).
Team Teal was created by Duncan McPherson OAM, who lost his wife Lyn to ovarian cancer in 2010.
