Welcome to 'JENKINS' - a column where we’ll explore some of the lighter and more positive and enlightening aspects to our great game, the trots!

I hope to bring you some of the stories, which are perhaps not as topical but are exactly what make our great sport tick.

Lists are always fun, so keep an eye out for the top 5 young horses, the top 5 female drivers, the top 5 beaten runs of the season … discussion of that nature we all enjoy, and everything else in this busy world needs our attention.

Here’s column #1. Hope you can find five minutes to have a look each fortnight.

I suddenly have the urge to go to Mildura.

That is not to say I haven’t had the urge to go to Mildura before. I am told it is a lovely spot inhabited by friendly people.

And I have even been invited there by the Mildura club for Cup week before, which shows either they have never met me or they are far too silly.

To clarify, I won’t actually be attending Mildura Cup week 2021 because the Trans Tasman bubble thing doesn’t kick in for another week.

ANTHONY Butt’s decision to make Victoria home will go down as one of the great decisions.

While the stable, largely backed by leviathan owners Emilio and Mary Rosati, were making waves in NSW, it’s gone to a whole amazing new level since relocating to Victoria last October.

And yesterday was a perfect example with Butt and fiancé Sonya Smith winning “majors” in Victoria and NSW.

Just as we thought the COVID-19 pandemic was finally waning a new scourge has beset Australian harness racing; but fear not as there looks to light at the end of the tunnel. 

While totally unrelated, three of Victoria’s most significant stars have been victims of infection in recent weeks, two equine and one human. 

First, there was champion pacer Lochinvar Art. 

You didn't need to see the timekeeper's notes to know that Sonny Weaver ripped home in a sizzling final quarter at Tabcorp Park Melton on Saturday night.

But taking a look at the sectionals certainly does reinforce how well Russell Jack's powerful four-year-old performed in the Benstud Standardbreds Pace.

After settling three back on the pegs from his barrier eight draw, Leigh Sutton had a lapful of horse rounding the turn and let him loose in the sprint lane. The son of Sunshine Beach showed his explosive turn of foot to reel in the front-runners and score a 3m victory.