Inter Dominion placegetter Keayang Stuka tuned up for another tilt at the series when he downed a field of contenders in the Garrards Horse & Hound Free For All Trot at Melton on Saturday night.
Keayang Stuka enjoyed the run of the race on the back of the leader and $2.60 favorite Rockinwithattitude while the reigning Inter Dominion champion Arcee Phoenix was left to sit parked over the 2240 metre trip.
The three came away in the home straight to fight out the finish with Keayang Stuka ($3.40) finishing strongly along the sprint lane to score by a head from Rockinwithattitude with Arcee Phoenix a metre and a half away third.
Jason Lee took the reins behind Keayang Stuka as a replacement for the horse’s regular driver Lochie Cook.
“I haven’t driven him a lot as he’s been Lochie’s drive and he’s always been a really nice horse and he’s been right there behind the good ones at times but when he is spot on and gets the right trip, he’s good enough to beat the really good ones,” Lee said.
“Last prep he had a few little issues and we put him out and sorted them out, nothing too serious and I think he’s back in that sort of form he was in when he ran third in the Inter Dominion to The Locomotive in Sydney,” he said.
“He’s pretty talented when he is in the zone so we’ll go and have a crack.”
Trainer Chris Svanosio would have been buoyed by the performance of Arcee Phoenix who showed a vast improvement on his unplaced effort first up at Melton a fortnight ago.
Talented four-year-old Fox Dan, who led all the way in the Melton City Council Free For All, will be hoping to gain a berth in the Inter Dominion Final via the Rising Sun.
Sent out the $1.60 favorite, Fox Dan held off his fast-finishing stablemate Bay Of Biscay scoring by a metre in a mile rate of 1:56.
Driver Ryan Sanderson believes the son of Art Major is primed to run a big race in the Group 1 The Rising Sun on July 4 where the winner (if it’s a four-year-old) receives an automatic place in the Inter Dominion Grand Final.
“He felt super tonight and I was really happy with his run last week and this run has given us a lot of confidence to head to Queensland and be competitive,” Sanderson said.
Earlier in the night the Allan McDonough trained three-year-old Major Blitz chalked up his fifth consecutive victory when he led all the way to defeat the older horses in the Betavet Winter Series Final.
McDonough said he was forced to use up his charge early to find the lead.
“I had to burn early as I didn’t want to be sitting out there but once Kate (Gath) got across I knew the lead was always there but then I needed a good breather for a little bit,” McDonough said.
McDonough indicated the son of Art Major will head north to contest the Queensland Derby.
“He’ll head to Brisbane next week and I think he has earned his shot to have a crack at the Queensland Derby, “he said.
The lightly raced Emma Stewart trained three-year-old Dynamite Dan too is Queensland Derby bound after outclassing his older rivals on Saturday night.
Dynamitedan ($1.45 fav) worked to the lead shortly after the start and was never headed thereafter scoring by seven metres from The Statesman in a mile rate of 1:57.
“His manners were good, he relaxed well in front and he ran a nice quarter off the back and then I said let’s roll from the turn,” Herbertson said.
“His pinpoint speed is very good and he’s just push button and he will be highly competitive in Brisbane,” he said.
Promising mare The Art Of Success completed a training treble for Stewart when she led all the way in the Hygain Edge Pace.
The daughter of Art Major has now won seven of her nine career starts.
