A new mark was laid down in Victoria’s trotting class when Cravache Dor proved a dominant force in Sunday’s Derby, lowering a freshly set track record.

The Haras des Trotteurs camp was full of smiles at Maryborough, with owner/breeder Pat Driscoll’s team not only sponsoring the Victoria Trotters Derby but now a two-time winner.

With trainer Anton Golino, Driscoll wrapped his hands around the Group 1 in 2017 when Une Belle Allure won and then on Sunday the squaregaiting devotees added another.

Not only did Cravache Dor lead all the way to win but he did so in a 1:58.9 mile rate, breaking the 1:59.3 track record for the 2690-metre distance, a mark Kyvalley Hotspur set in last year’s Derby.

“He’s got a lot of upside that’s for sure,” winning reinsman Nathan Jack said. “He’s a great horse, great gaited and hat’s off to all of the crew there (at Yabby Dam Farms), not just Pat (Driscoll) and Anton (Golino) – all the staff,  you can’t run a team like that with one person. I’m forever grateful for what they’ve done for me, that’s for sure.”

That gratitude would have only been heightened by Sunday’s convincing win, the eighth of Cravache Dor’s 16-start career.

By Orlando Vici out of Muscles N Blues, the three-year-old worked to the front from gate three after Kimora Saffi’s bold bid to be first to the fence came unstuck when the longshot galloped.

From there Jack was able to control proceedings, keeping a keen eye on second favourite Harry Stamper throughout and then pouring on the pace late with a 55.8-second last half.

“I wanted to keep an eye on where Harry Stamper was because I didn’t want him following through and being that close to me,” Jack said.

From the widest back row draw Anthony Butt, who was steering Harry Stamper, settled last until Arcee Phoenix improved three-wide, giving Butt temporary cover as he advanced to the breeze.

That was as it remained for much of the last two laps, with Cravache Dor comfortably holding off his challenger for a 10-metre win and Chris Lang’s Courage Stride next best in finishing 22 metres back in third.

“I was travelling very strong and I could hear Ants ask for his horse a bit, so I knew then we just had to keep trotting,” Jack told TrotsVision. “This horse is very strong and fast, he’s got a bright future.”