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One last showdown will decide the inaugural Kerryn Manning Trotting Mares Triple Crown this Saturday night.
The Group 1 TAB Sumthingaboutmaori Trotters Free For All has drawn all the big players in the series, with current leader Aldebaran Crescent drawing well in gate one for trainer David Aiken and driver Bailey McDonough.
She won the opening race of the Triple Crown – the Lyn McPherson Memorial Breed For Speed Gold Series Final – on February 26 before finishing fourth behind Anton Golino’s Im Ready Jet in the La Coocaracha Trotters Free For All a fortnight later.
This leaves Aldebaran Crescent two points clear of Im Ready Jet and Andy Gath’s Vacation Hill, who have barriers three and five respectively this weekend at Melton.
Im Ready Jet’s stablemate Hopeful Beauty ran a cracker to finish second in the La Coocaracha and sits fourth on the Triple Crown standings.
Jack MacKinnon will also step out former Kiwi Silver Power, who has recently joined his Shelbourne stable.
The daughter of Monkey Bones is a five-time winner in her homeland and had one Australian start for Maree Caldow at Bendigo all the way back in 2019.
TAB SUMTHINGABOUTMAORI TROTTERS FREE FOR ALL
2760m
1 63145 ALDEBARAN CRESCENT David Aiken Bailey McDonough
2 06327 SWISS MISS NZ Shane Hoban Brad Chisholm
3 23121 IM READY JET Anton Golino Jason Lee
4 s6137 SILVER POWER NZ Jack MacKinnon Jack MacKinnon
5 81213 VACATION HILL NZ Andy Gath Kate Gath
6 82252 HOPEFUL BEAUTY FRA Anton Golino Josh Duggan
7 32100 ILLAWONG STARDUST Tony Peacock Brian Gath
A $10,000 bonus is payable to the owner of the Kerryn Manning Trotting Mares Triple Crown winner, with points allocated through the three legs as follows: 1st - 8, 2nd - 5, 3rd - 3, 4th - 2 and 5th - 1.
LEADERBOARD
10 Aldebaran Crescent
8 Im Ready Jet
8 Vacation Hill
6 Hopeful Beauty
3 Swiss Miss, Lucinda Mac
The Sumthingaboutmaori is the highlight of Saturday night’s meeting from Victorian HQ, with the 11-race card to kick off from 6.09pm.