The win of Enjoy Life in the Three-Year-Old Colts and Geldings Final set the scene for the remainder of the pacing finals on Group 1 APG Vicbred Super Series night at Melton on Saturday.
Sent out the $2 favourite, Enjoy Life was unable to hold out stablemate Cardigan Dan at the start, with driver Mark Pitt forced to await his chance along the sprint lane, which ultimately proved fruitful in the run to the line.
“I thought that I would cop my medicine and be leader’s back and drive him for his speed because he doesn’t quite concentrate as he does when he is on a helmet,” Pitt said.
“We had to be a little bit careful that he didn’t hit the front too early as he has a tendency to knock off and half wait for them, but he really hit the line and ran through it tonight.”
Trainer Emma Stewart and Pitt combined to complete a clean sweep of the pacing finals, winning the remaining three Group 1s.
Although initially, it wasn’t meant to be.
Pitt was unceremoniously tipped out of Auston in a scrimmage shortly after the start in the first take of the final for two-year-old colts and geldings, which also resulted in Kerryn Manning being injured while partnering the Stewart-trained Some High.
While Manning stood herself down for the remainder of the night, Pitt dusted himself off and landed the last-minute drive on Some High after Auston was declared unfit to run.
Some High ($2.60 co-favourite) was a clear last with 800 metres to travel; however, he produced a sustained run to join forces with co-favourite Lake Como around the home turn. The pair engaged in a two-horse war before Some High got the verdict by a neck.
After the race, Pitt admitted the excitement of Group 1 night had aided his speedy recovery an hour later.
“I think the adrenaline is kicking in at this stage, but I’ll probably be a bit bruised and sore tomorrow. Only 15 minutes ago I was on the one horse and then all of a sudden I’m on the 10 horse,” he said.
“I thought I was in a little bit of trouble as we were a long way off them at the bell and I knew I had to get up there before they really picked it up.”
Later in the night, Pitt had little cause for concern when he steered the $1.25 favourite Kahula to an easy win in the final for two-year-old fillies.
Kahula worked to the lead shortly after the start before cruising to victory by 12 metres from a luckless Ideal Frankie in a mile rate of 1:55.
“She is a great filly. It was a pretty strong lead time and I thought we needed to get a small breather and then wind it up, but I was always mindful where Ideal Frankie was and we had to get moving to make it hard for her,” he said.
Bettor Beach ($1.25 favourite) completed a quartet of Group 1 wins for Stewart and Pitt when she outclassed her rivals in the final for three-year-old fillies.
Bettor Beach was initially crossed by Rachels Legacy before Pitt pulled out to assume control, with the daughter of Bettor’s Delight reeling off a 26.4 final 400 metres to score by 13 in a mile rate of 1:54.5.
“She is a very, very special filly, this one,” he said.
“I didn’t want to stir her up too much off the gate as she can get a bit strong, so I thought we would come off as good as we can and if we get crossed, then do the re-take, and then she just cruised to the line.”
Trainer Jess Tubbs took the honours in the trotting finals, landing a double with Queen Of Sees and Howdy Mate.
In the final for two-year-old trotting fillies, James Herbertson on Queen Of Sees ($3.40) was content to allow the $2.60 favourite Hallebesofine to find the lead and await his chance along the sprint lane.
In the home straight, the impeccably bred squaregaiter charged through along the inside to score by a metre and a half from Hallebesofine in a mile rate of 1:58.9.
“She is probably not battle-hardened enough to lead and cop plenty of pressure and luckily we had the draw to make those decisions,” Herbertson said.
A daughter of Bold Eagle, Queen Of Sees is out of the multiple Group 1-winning mare Dance Craze.
Howdy Mate ($19) completed a running double for Tubbs and Herbertson when he led most of the way in the showdown for three-year-old trotting colts and geldings.
Howdy Mate’s task was made easier after the $2.30 favourite Pastor Dunbar galloped on release, losing more than 40 metres.
Tubbs was delighted to achieve a Group 1 double.
“It’s very special to get a Group 1 double. This horse has always shown so much potential and while he has claimed a few nice ones in his time, he has also caused a few headaches, so it’s really lovely to see him put it all together tonight,” Tubbs said.
Emerging juvenile trotter Verbici maintained his unbeaten career record of seven wins from as many starts when he scored a comfortable victory in the final for two-year-old trotting colts and geldings.
Despite sitting parked for the last 1000 metres, Verbici ($1.65 favourite) proved too strong for his rivals, scoring by nine metres from Regal Gala.
Chris Lang admitted he wasn’t overly confident around the home turn.
“I wasn’t sure coming around the bend how much we had left, but to be quite honest, when I pulled him out it was over in a couple of strides,” Lang said.
The Brent Lilley-trained Kyvalley Dixon ($10) turned the tables on the $1.25 favourite Bumper Crop in the clash between two-year-old trotting fillies.
Kyvalley Dixon, who was runner-up behind Bumper Crop in the heat, quickly reeled in the favourite in the home straight to score by six metres in a mile rate of 1:59.3.
Driver Chris Alford predicts a bright future for the daughter of Majestic Son.
“Once she gets a bit more speed and learns how to race properly, she’ll make top grade, I think,” Alford said.
