Victoria emerged winner of the inaugural trots State of Origin series at Mildura on Friday night when more than 800 patrons enjoyed a balmy evening track side.
The Vics drew first blood when locally trained pacer Rocknroll Eyes ($3.6) overcame the favourite Regardless ($2) in the last 50m to give young gun reinsman Darby McGuigan and the Vics the maximum 10 points.
Each driver was awarded points over four State of Origin races, with winning drivers getting 13 points, second 11, third nine, fourth seven points, and points given all the way down to a solitary point for last.
It looked a case of ‘how far for the Vics’ when Kerryn Manning drover the Peter O’Brien trained Graceful Art ($11) to victory over the favourite Madazalways ($2.5) trained by Barry Dunn from Horsham. This gave the Victorians a healthy 74.5 to 57.5 lead and coach Terry Wallace started his victory dance.
Croweaters coach Graham Cornes banded his team together and called for an improved performance in the third leg of the series, and it worked.
SA superstar Danielle Hill drove a great race on the Kerryn Manning trained Onthecrestofawave to defeat her brother Wayne Hill on Ya Bowen delight, giving the South Aussies 38 points to move to 95.5 points – just two shy of the cocky Vics on 97.5.
It is often remarked that games are won in the ‘premiership’ third quarter and it certainly seems Croweaters coach Cornes was up and about at the final change.
In the last race of the night Victorian Luke Watson took Mangochililime ($3.3) to a hot lead but with two laps to go the South Aussies were second, third, fourth and fifth, and Victorian coach Terry Wallace looked concerned.
In fact the Victorians held the last four spots in the race at this point and Cornes was urging his charges on from the stands.
Even with a lap to go it seemed that the Croweaters would pull off an unlikely victory and the crowd started to get involved.
Kerryn Manning set The Last Parisian alight and we could see the Victorians lifting at the 400m. In a thrilling finish, hometown hero Luke Watson got Mangochililime home and he had enough support from Manning (third), Alford (fifth) and McGuigam (sixth) to clinch a great win for the Big V.
The final points tally was Victoria 132.5 points defeating South Australia 127, not an unfamiliar State of Origin score…
Victorian Coach Terry Wallace said the team effort told in the end.
Kerryn Manning was awarded the Lang/Justice medal for driver of the series, just gaining the lead from junior driver Darby McGuigan.
A great Victory for the Vics with further salt rubbed into the Croweaters’ wounds when Dale “Flea” Weightman won the double-seater sulky race from fellow coach Terry “Plough” Wallace with the South Australian Greg Anderson and Graham Cornes distanced. The Flea’s only concern was the possible $400 fine for raising his whip to the crowd on every lap.
Mildura looks forward to hosting a similar State of Origin concept in 12 months time.
