The tightrope that is the tantalising two-year-olds trotting fillies was tread at Maryborough today and while some miss-stepped for those who made it stick there was much to delight in the first of the Aldebaran Park Vicbred Super Series heats.

Having previously raced greenly, Gavin Lang had almost the reverse problem with Jaxnme (pictured) in today’s Vicbred opener when the two-year-old was almost pipped at the post.

The $1.20 favourite appeared to have the first Aldebaran Park heat for two-year-old trotting fillies well in hand, having controlled the pace after working past early leader Countess Chiron, who Lang told TrotsVision “leaves the machine like she’s tied to it”.

From there Jaxnme was unchallenged until her final strides when Venkman made up great ground to almost pinch the result, with only a short-half-head separating the pair.

“She’s really turned around in her demeanor, it was nearly her undoing today,” Lang said. “That’s OK, the big dance is a couple of weeks away.”

The Vicbred Super Series trotting finals night is Friday July 5, with the all-important draws to be conducted on www.thetrots.com.au Saturday night as part of the pacing semi-finals coverage.

Lang said Jaxnme, who is trained by Russell Jack and owned and bred by Graeme Love, Brocq Robertson and Debbie Jack, would take improvement from her first run in more than a month.

“She hasn’t had a run since she won the Homegrown series, she will strip a better horse going into the final,” Lang said. “I’d prefer her to race the way she is (relaxed), she’s going to win more races doing it that way than doing it the way she did it first up.”

Jaxnme and Venkman will be joined in the final by Millys Magic and Countess Chiron, who placed third and fourth in the first heat, while Pink Galahs, The Best Dream, Lola Devereaux and Lotta Fuss advanced from the second heat.

It was a bold showing by the winner, Pink Galahs, who was making her debut for trainer-driver Matt Craven and led all the way to register a 5.3-metre victory.

“She’s just been a little ripper to have around the whole time,” Craven told TrotsVision post-race. “She never got a big run from day one because she was so small, she wasn’t the prettiest, but ever since she came in she’s just been a keen little worker and wants to trot. From what I’ve had to do with the Skyvalleys that’s basically them.”

Bred and owned by Laura and Caleb Lewis, Pink Galahs is not only by the aforementioned Aldebaran Park sire (Skyvalley) but she’s also out of Sweetasay, who is part of an elite chapter of Victorian harness racing.

Laura Lewis is the daughter of Ric Healy, who bred Maori Miss, the matriarch of an extraordinary trotting chain that included famed Maori’s Idol. Pink Galahs’ granddam is Maoridona, whose great-granddam is Maori Miss.

“I’d like to thank Caleb and Laura, they are great supporters of mine,” Craven said post-race. “Caleb does a hell of a lot of work for me, all off his own back, and to get a reward like this for them is very very pleasing.”

It was a painless performance with Pink Galahs working to the front, seeing off a mid-race challenge from David Moran and The Best Dream before running home in 29.8 and 30.6 third and fourth quarters to secure the win.

“She made nice improvement from her trial the other night, the key to today was that she was well behaved and it was a very pleasing run,” Craven said. “Having a two-year-old filly have her first start, to roll the gate just nice without charging and then work to the front, have a challenge and then relax again, that was very very pleasing.”

There were also plenty of smiles after the third and final Vicbred Super Series fillies heat when winner Dizzysjet qualified for the finals along with placegetters Illawong Stardust and Im Ready Jet, and fourth-placed Daring Angel.

David Moran steered the winner to victory and believes trainer Patrick Ryan has a very nice one in Quaker Jet filly Dizzysjet.

“I think she’s got a pretty big future once she puts it all together,” Moran said. “She’s still a bit funny at times, she gets a bit quirky in her mouth, but she’s got a really high turn of speed and she can sustain it for a while. I think she will go a long way.”

That high speed was on display today when Dizzysjet emerged from one-out one-back to work clear of her rivals, and she still has a lot of improvement left in her.

“She’s probably just a natural two-year-old trotter really that’s just that little bit immature, but when she works it all out she’s going to go a fair way,” Moran said.

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