It’s been a delightful day at the office for Jodi Quinlan, who was a dominant force in today’s Aldebaran Park Vicbred Super Series three-year-old trotting heats, emerging with a trio of victories and some clear front runners for New Year’s Eve.
Quinlan scored with exciting colt Cover Of Darkness before winning two of the three fillies’ heats, with Ofortuna winning for trainer Craig Demmler before Quinlan scored with her own squaregaiter, Illawong Stardust.
Imamaorijet also advanced to the three-year-old fillies’ final a winner, with the division taking on a very different outlook today after hot series favourite Pink Galahs was sadly scratched and prodigously talented Im Ready Jet galloped out of contention in her heat.
By contrast, the colts and geldings looks certain to be an exhilarating affair with impressive front-running performances by Lisa Miles’ Powderkeg and Anthony Crossland’s Rules Dont Apply.
But they will be hard pressed to pinch favourtism from Breeders Crown champion Cover Of Darkness, the Majestic Son colt of out Martin and Kaye Hartnett’s mare Illawong Moonshine.
It is a 
mercurial breeding line that Quinlan knows all too well and the apple hasn’t fallen far from the tree in Emma Stewart-trained Cover Of Darkness.
“I’ve had all that family and they’re all very hot, but he’s probably the roughest gaited one of them all,” Quinlan told Trots Vision.
Adding to that challenge is his increasing pre-race misbehavior.
“Early on he was really good, you’d just let him go out, he’d bowl a couple of laps and he was great,” Quinlan said.
“He started at the Breeders Crown, he was a bit naughty, his last start he was very naughty and today he was beyond naughty. Going up to the gate he put in two double barrels and I thought I didn’t know if I’m going to get him up there.
“As soon as he come down and I went straight to the gate quickly he was OK after that, but you never know when he’s going to pull rank and kick. I was a bit concerned. He’s never done it once he’s turned to score up.”
But from there he was like clockwork, working to the lead ahead of Is That A Bid and then getting home in 28.7 seconds to hold any potential challengers at bay and protect his unbeaten record for a big group of owners.
“Touch wood, in the run he’s not done anything wrong,” Quinlan said. “He’s strong and he’s actually quick as well. He’s got it all, so hopefully when he goes out (for a spell) and comes back he will turn into a readymade racehorse.
“I’ve probably got used to him, he’s the sort of horse you’ve got to go with him, not against him. So if he wants to get rocking and rolling you go with him, if he’s happy to relax you don’t bustle him.
“To his credit he’s not made a mistake in the run and going forward he’s fairly exciting.”
He’s certainly the wildcard for finals, but he’ll have to overcome some very consistent and accomplished performers to add a further Group 1.
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Powderkeg, a Vicbred Super Series champion as a two-year-old, was flawless in winning his heat by two metres for Lisa Miles, while Rules Dont Apply similarly worked to the lead and hit the line professionally.
Joining them in advancing to finals night were Is That A Bid, Scootin Around, Willdomxav, Cracker Jet, Kyvalley Shaunie, Glengarriff, No Biggie, Builder Bob and Dublin Chubb.
In the three-year-old fillies’ class, Yabby Dam Farms kicked off the day with a one-two finish for co-trainers Anton Golino and Jack MacKinnon, with Imamaorijet winning ahead of stablemate Araignee Flair.
Jason Lee drove the winner and said it was a good all-the-way performance from the Quaker Jet filly out of brilliant mare Sumthingaboutmaori ($461,499), who he said was “probably not a real natural leader”.
“She can wait for them a little bit, we zipped a pretty good quarter, she did what she had to and got the job done,” he said.
Electrojet and Jazspur also advanced from the heat to qualify for the final.
In the second heat Ofortuna aptly took advantage of her good fortune, with Quinlan digging in aggressively for the last quarter and being rewarded when leader Im Ready Jet broke gait at the final turn.
From there Craig Demmler’s Majestic Son filly held on for a two-metre victory from fast-finishing Golden Sunset and Mariachi, while Megeve also qualified.
The final heat was much more of a one-horse act, with Quinlan’s Illawong Stardust dominating in another impressive result for the Hartnett’s broodmare Lunar Landing.
Not only is she the dam of Spidergirl ($317,657), Illawong Armstrong ($231,052) and Illawong Stardust but also Illawong Moonshine, whose first foal was the aforementioned unbeaten Cover Of Darnkess.
Illawong Stardust booked her final spot with a comfortable all-the-way win, gapping her rivals by almost 20 metres in the finish.
Majestical Belle, Amunet and Black And Gold filled out the first four to earn their New Year’s Eve starts.
