Mark Pitt has emerged from the ruck to give chase behind runaway leader James Herbertson in the Metropolitan Drivers Premiership.
In recent weeks Pitt has made Melton his own playground following last week’s quartet of wins with another four race successes on Saturday night.
Pitt opened his account partnering the Kylie Sugars trained heavily backed Ijustcalledtosay ($1.20 fav) to an emphatic victory in the Hip Pocket Castlemaine Trot with the four-year-old holding a nine-metre margin on the line in a mile rate of 1:56.3.
“He’s run a pretty good mile and he buzzed up strong late, I think he’s got a pretty good motor this guy,” Pitt said.
“We saw him win last week off the pace so I think he can race both ways, either up the front or off the pace,” he said.
Pitt then joined forces with Emma Stewart for the remainder of the night as the pair chalked up a trio of winners Cigano, Apollostorm and Fairplay.
Sent out the $1.10 favorite, Cigano made it back to back wins at headquarters when he unleashed a slick sprint from the one out one back trail reeling off a 54.6 last 800 metres to score from Sweet Ideal and stablemate Let Her Roll.
Pitt said he was initially going forward from the wide barrier but decided to take the perfect sit when a gap appeared.
“Once I lobbed there it was just a matter of when I was going to pull the trigger and once the three wide train came it set him alight and he did it really easy,” he said.
“He was just cruising and I never pulled the ears (plugs) and I only just clicked him up but I’m sure he’d go real fast if you asked him to.”
Apollostorm ($1.04 fav) completed a hat trick of wins at Melton when he led all the way in the IRT Pace.
Hoorah Philtra closed the margin late however Apollostorm appeared to have plenty in reserved holding on to score by two metres on the line in a mile rate of 1:54:1.
“He’s always had good ability, he’s probably come up against some that have been better early days so it’s taken a little while for him to hit his straps,” he said.
“He’s getting up in grade now but he’s been pretty dominant and could go a long way this bloke.”
Despite not having raced for more than 12 months, Fairplay was installed a $1.70 favorite on the back of two impressive recent trials at Melton and Ballarat.
Pitt was content to let Fairplay lob along in the running line towards the end of the field before pulling out to stake his claim with 400 metres to travel and the son of Rock N Roll Heaven quickly had the race in his keeping.
“He had been out for quite a while and I was in two minds what to do early so I just sat and let him rip up for 400 (metres),” he said.
“He’s got his fair share of ability but he’s got a few tricks that may stop him from going right to the top.”
The 32-year-old Pitt has now registered 22 metropolitan victories this season while Herbertson sits clear on 32 wins.
Pitt currently boasts a stunning strike rate of 35% winners to starters in his 71 wins statewide thus far this season.
