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The rich spoils of the APG Two-Year-Old Gold Bullion series headed south when Victorian trained pacers took out both the $400,000 colts and geldings and fillies finals at Menangle on Saturday night.
The Nathan Jack trained filly Eye Believe made amends for her second placing behind the unbeaten Lux Aeterna in last month’s Bathurst Gold Tiara Final when she outclassed her rivals in the fillies final.
The daughter of Captaintreacherous speared across from her mid-row draw and when driver Amanda Turnbull released the reins in the home straight Eye Believe ($1.65 fav) quickly put a gap in the opposition to score by seven metres.
Despite her tender age, Jack said Eye Believe was the consummate racehorse.
“She has plenty of speed getting out of the gate and when you take hold she comes straight back to you,” Jack said.
He said Eye Believe had improved since her Bathurst campaign.
“She had a couple of niggling issues and didn’t have an ideal preparation leading into Bathurst but she is a lot better now,” he said.
According to the stable, Eye Believe will now head to the paddock before embarking on a Breeders Crown campaign later in the year.
“She is NSW bred so her other main aim will be the NSW Breeders Challenge, and I don’t think we will see the best of her until we can drive her with a sit,” he said.
Cameron Hart and War Dan Buddy caused an upset in the colts and geldings final when they bloused the Emma Stewart trained stable mate and $1.60 favorite Stormryder on the line, getting the verdict by a short half head.
Hart gave the son of Art Major the run of the race in the one-out one-back trail, tracking the favorite who was caught parked outside the WA youngster Ten To The Dozen.
War Dan Buddy wore the back of Stormdryer until Hart eased out to the middle of the track on turning for home and his charge dug deep over the concluding stages to get up and score on the line.
War Dan Buddy is raced by Danny Zavitsanos and Warren Viney, who have been significant investors at the yearling sales for several years.
NSW leading trained Belinda McCarthy, gun young reinsman Jack Callaghan and the stallion Sweet Lou launched the night by completing a clean sweep of the three-year-old series.
The talented filly Peaceful turned the tables on heat winner Jewel Melody when she worked to the early lead and was never headed thereafter, cruising to the line holding a six-metre advantage over Jewel Melody, who was forced to sit parked in a slick mile rate of 1:52.2.
In the colts and geldings division, Sweetheart Bart made full use of the pole by comfortably holding out his rivals at the start before racing clear in the straight and holding his stable mate Don Hugo at bay on the line.
My Ultimate Ronnie completed an APG Finals double for Cameron Hart when he led all the way in the four-year-old entires and geldings final.
Later on the night trainer Jarrod Alchin made the four-year-old mares’ final his own when Madrid outclassed her rivals after working to the lead with 1200 metres to travel.
