Group 1 trebles are almost unheard of. And when they do occur, the feat is usually reserved for the rich, powerful, multinational-type stables.
But Shelbourne horseman Larry Eastman lived the fairy-tale on Saturday night at Tabcorp Park Melton, winning three Empire Stallions Vicbred Super Series finals.
Eastman’s stable-star three-year-olds Menin Gate and Morton Plains won their age group’s male and female finals respectively before Milly Perez scored a boil-over in the four-year-old mares’ decider.
All three were driven by champion reinsman Chris Alford, who also picked up the four-year-old entires and geldings’ final with Messini for trainer Brent Lilley to finish with a Group 1 quartet.
An emotional Eastman paid tribute to his wife, Lynette.
“I’m feeling pretty good (but) I’m rapt for Lynette, my wife,” he told the large crowd, who braved a chilly night out for one of the best nights of harness racing seen in recent times.
“(She’s) the best horse on the farm by a long way… works daylight until dark every day.
“Whilst people probably think it’s my expertise or whatever it’s not, she’s got a good eye for a horse and she’s really good at what she does as well.”
Eastman, clearly elated, had nothing but praise for Alford.
“We’ve been great friends for a long time and he’s really pulled them out tonight for us,” he said.
“… It makes all the difference. We use these guys because they are the best and on big nights like tonight it counts.”
Morton Plains (Bettors Delight/Dont Answer That) brought up the first of Eastman’s trio of treats for the evening.
The filly took the lead off early frontrunner Niki No No with a mile to run in their Group 1 final over 2240m.
A 30.2secs first quarter had the Eastman backers feeling good and a second split of 30.6secs was comfortable.
Off the back Morton Plains looked to have the better of death-seating Lovelist, while driver Greg Sugars sat quietly aboard Niki No No behind the leader awaiting his opportunity along the sprint lane.
But Morton Plains kicked strongly at the top of the stretch, Niki No No unable to peg back the leader who kept finding to win by four metres, Niki No No holding on to second and Vapar Grin running third.
“The Birchip boys who own Menin Gate, most are in this filly as well. A couple of them are in Morton Plains that weren’t in Menin Gate … they get their thrills tonight. I’m really pleased for them,” Eastman said.
“These guys have been in for the long haul … I mean the Lowry boys have been in this industry for years and years and they’ve put their hard-earned in.
“Their farming enterprise didn’t have a very good year last year and until it rains this year they’re on a sticky wicket again. For those people and the farming community at Birchip (the win) really gives the town a bit of a buzz.”
Eastman made it a three-year-olds’ clean sweep in Race 7 with Somebeachsomewhere/Dreams Of Heaven gelding Menin Gate in the colts’ and geldings’ final.
The Victoria Derby champion from earlier in the season began fast from the pole to lead and was never headed, the inside-back-row Mister Wickham finishing second after following the winner all the way and Follow The Stars running third for Anthony Butt and Mark Purdon.
Menin Gate rated 1:55.6 for the 2240m trip, sprinting home in 56.1secs.
“He was switched on tonight, not like last week,” Alford said.
“Once he was able to hold the front pretty comfortable I knew he’d run a strong last mile and was going to be hard for the horses off the fence and thankfully he kept going.”
While he was no doubt confident both his three-year-olds would be competitive, Eastman certainly had his doubts about Milly Perez.
“When Col Moore texted to say he’d pulled barrier 13 out I just thought `well that’s the end of the road for Milly’, because last week if you watch the tapes she went unbelievable … we just were hoping for a barrier,” he said.
“This little mare’s blessed with a really good turn of foot and I just thought from 13 we’d be too far back.”
Eastman and Alford needed for there to be some speed on early. Their wish was Josh Aiken and Nathan Jack’s command.
Crossed early by Shes A Runa, Jack took race favourite and polemarker Berisari quickly away from the pegs out of the straight the first time to run to the front.
But Aiken and Quick Draft swiftly built up momentum and declared war on the long odds-on favourite, the pair engaging in a two-horse war to the mile marker before finally Quick Draft was forced to relent.
The lead time of 42.9secs was electric and Jack quickly applied the brakes in a bid to give Berisari some respite with opening quarters of 30.3secs and 31.9secs.
The pressure went on again down the back with a 29.1secs third split as Barynya and John Caldow made their move and got by Berisari.
But Alford and Milly Perez, who were last at the 800m, followed Barynya into the action before peeling around her in the home straight.
Once she stretched out Milly Perez dashed right away from her rivals, the Four Starzzz Shark/Alta Calypso bay winning by 13m over Beach Shack (David Aiken), Barynya holding down third.
Lucky Metro was fourth for Charlie Borg, while Berisari battled away bravely to run fifth – a big run given her adversary Quick Draft came in tailed off.
“We needed some genuine tempo and thanks to a couple of guys out there tonight it was game on and she reaped the reward,” Eastman said of Milly Perez.
Meanwhile, Eastman also had high praise for the Vicbred program and highlighted the importance of the scheme to the Victorian industry.
“Vicbred needs more and more pumped into it day in and day out,” he said. “Let’s look after our home base, that’s where these guys get the benefits.
“We need to look after Victoria. That’s where we put our hard yakka in.”
The Vicbred program pays out well over $9 million in stakes and bonuses to eligible horses and the series’ goal is to strengthen opportunities for Victorian-bred standardbreds.
As for the trip home to Birchip for Eastman’s owners, it’ll no doubt be an enjoyable ride.
CODY WINNELL
HARNESS RACING VICTORIA
Approved By Dean Baring www.harnessbred.com
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