There were no big claims, just great satisfaction in the Caldow and Miles camps after their two-year-old colts and geldings drew first blood in the Aldebaran Park Vicbred Super Series heats.
Both Powderkeg and Andover Sun cut imposing figures at Maryborough yesterday for races 10 and 11, making strong claims for the $100,000 crown that will be won at Tabcorp Park Melton on Friday July 5.
First it was Lisa Miles with her South Australian bred (Wyndown Stud) Muscle Hill colt Powderkeg, who is out of Sparks Ignite, a descendant of the Maori Miss clan. Making his stable debut and career second start, Miles was happy to hand the lead to favourite Van Sank and then skip past in the straight via the sprint lane.
Not only did he run down the $2 favourite, but he also outsprinted last start winner Im Daddy Warbucks who loomed from the one-one and ultimately finished second beaten a half-neck.
“He surprised me actually,” Miles told TrotsVision post-race. “I didn’t want to put too many expectations on him, but he handled it very well. Whatever he does today, hopefully he will improve on, but that was really enjoyable.”
That mixture of joy and relief was then felt by John Caldow about 40 minutes later when his $3 favourite Andover Sun worked early to find the front from the second row and then led the rest of the way to salute by 1.3 metres from Is That A Bid.
With a further 10 metres back to third-placed Quake Proof, Caldow and his wife and Andover Sun's trainer, Maree, could take significant satisfaction from the win, including closing out in two sub 30-second quarters.
“You don’t know until they do it, but I was pretty happy with him,” Caldow said of the Andover Hall colt. “He’s been good for a while now, but until they do it you are just more relieved than anything.”
Bred and owned by Maree Caldow, Denis and Vali Hall and Allan and Christine Spalding, Andover Sun is out of Solar Flash, who’s granddam Fionas Flair was a 15-time winner and was the dam of A Touch Of Flair ($569,197), Son Of Flair ($257,909), Mighty Maori ($256,305) and Down Under Muscles ($216,925).
Draws for the Aldebaran Park Vicbred Super Series' two-year-old trotting finals will be held as part of the pacing series semi-finals at Tabcorp Park Melton on Saturday night, when they will be streamed live at www.thetrots.com.au.
More on the Vicbred Super Series:
- 2YO pacing: Emma Stewart serves up a magnificent seven on night one of Vicbred
- 3YO pacing: Vicbred Super Series night two brings 3YO Delight
- 4YO pacing boys: Major change in the four-year-old Vicbred heats with new champ to emerge
- 4YO pacing mares: Guns fire as Vicbred front-running mares set the pace
- 2YO trotting fillies: Jax, Dizzy and Galah step right to kick-start Vicbred trotters
- 2YO trotting boys: 2YO trotting teams relieved as big boys impress in Vicbred Super Series