Barrier draws always hold great importance in six-figure finals and that will certainly be the case when the big boys of the trotting gait rev for their Aldebaran Park Vicbred Super Series title.
Majestic Player showed electric pace from the gate in tonight’s four-year-old entires and geldings’ second heat, crossing main danger Reils for trainer Anton Golino and reinsman Jason Lee.
“He’s one of the quickest trotters, if not the quickest trotter, that I’ve ever driven off the gate,” Lee told TrotsVision. “I was confident earlier in the week I’d be across and in front pretty quick. With Andy (Gath)’s one (Reils) there had been a bit of talk. Probably had a bit of a look at it and thought maybe it was going to be difficult to cross, but thought we’d still come out as hard as we could and if we couldn’t get across it then we might get the slipstream in behind it.”
In the end it was Plan A that held up, with Majestic Player blazing to the front and from there it was all in hand, a 28.3-second final quarter giving him significant breathing space in the form of an 11.9-metre win from the chasing Kyvalley Finn (second), Fields Of Kyvalley (third) and Reils (fourth).
“That’s the first sires heat I’ve won (this season), so thankfully I got one and am probably likely to have more (drives) on the trotters’ night than the pacers at the moment.”
The flame remains well and truly alight for team Gath, with trainer Andy and reinswoman Kate earlier claiming the first of the night’s heats courtesy of Chief Runningcloud.
In another all-the-way win, the lightly raced Lawman gelding registered his seventh win in 14 starts and Kate Gath told TrotsVision it was all starting to come together.
“He really is a baby and to be able to do what he done last start, when he won at Melton in a TMO, I thought that was a really good job. I think he’ll get a little bit better, a bit more seasoned, a bit of this type of racing will really do him good.
“He’s had a couple of little issues and then got a bit silly and carried away a couple of times, just didn’t finish off at all, hopefully he seems to be better now, a lot more relaxed and a bit more of a racehorse. He’s got gait speed, so that’s a massive help, it won’t be easy, but I’m really happy that we are in it.”
After a 33.3-second first quarter, Chief Runningcloud reeled off a succession of around 30-second quarters, seemingly tiring in the final 50 metres but doing enough to hold out fast-finishing reigning Vicbred champ Anywhere Hugo (second) and third-placed Birthday Suit.
“He kind of waited for them out in front, left alone, I think if he had something close to him to race him up the straight he could have got home a little bit better,” Kate Gath said.
The draws for the July 5 trotting and July 6 pacing Group 1 finals will be held at Tabcorp Park Melton this Saturday night as part of Alabar Vicbred Super Series semi-finals night. All barrier draws 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
- 3YO trotting filllies: Trotting fillies’ talent does the talking in 3YO Vicbred heats
- 3YO trotting boys: Little separates 3YO trotting boys as Super heat stokes at Geelong
- 4YO trotting mares: Trotting divas on Vicbred final collision course
