Two recently-crowned Victorian horse of the year category winners will return from spells as Saturday night racing makes a comeback to its traditional home of Tabcorp Park Melton this weekend.
Last season’s standout three-year-old trotting colt or gelding Aldebaran Zeus (pictured) will line up against the state’s leading four-year-old trotting entire or gelding Rules Dont Apply in the Woodlands Stud Trot.
Aldebaran Zeus is trained by Brent Lilley and has not competed since running second in the Vicbred Super Series Final on December 31, while Anthony Crossland’s star squaregaiter Rules Dont Apply has been away from the races since tackling February’s Great Southern Star series and Australian Trotting Grand Prix.
Top open class pacer Western Sonador is also back at the races this Saturday night.
Trained by Stephen O’Donoghue and Rebecca Bartley, the six-year-old returns for his first start since a ninth placing in March’s Group 1 Tasmania Cup.
He will leave from outside the front row in the first heat of the Melton City Council Pace.
This weekend’s meeting will be the first metropolitan card at Melton since late June, with works on the infield and upgrading of lights forcing Saturday night racing to Shepparton, Cranbourne, Ballarat, Kilmore and Bendigo through July.
The Group 3 Alabar Vicbred Platinum Mares Sprint Championship Final and Group 3 HBV Stallion Guide Lightfoot Laurels are among the highlights at Tabcorp Park, as is the TAB Our Maestro Free For All for the open class pacers.
The first of 10 races is set to go at 5.35pm, with wall-to-wall coverage planned at www.TrotsVision.com.au.
