18 December 2017 | Graham Fischer
Former highly successful first-class cricketer Paul Nobes enjoyed an unusual hat-trick of his own over the weekend.
Nobes, who played Sheffield Shield cricket for South Australia and Victoria, and his wife Judy, are prominent harness racing owners and had their own hat-trick on Friday and Saturday.
At Port Pirie on Friday, their pacer Keayang Storm, the $2.50 favourite, trained by Lance Holberton and driven by Ryan Hryhorec, finished powerfully to score a 4-1/2 metre win in the C M and C E Bishop Pacers Discretionary (2050m).
Their next runner was Keayang Sporty, trained and driven by Ryan Hryhorec, in the Ubet Pace (1800m), the opening race at Globe Derby Park on Saturday night.
Heavily backed from $3.20 into $2.10 favourite, Keayang Sporty was brilliantly driven by Hryhorec lobbing the one-one trail after coming from gate eight on the second row.
He held the five-year-old up until the 400 metre mark before asking him to sprint and Keayang Sporty dashed away and scored an 18-metre win from Blue Beach Angel ($4.20) with Canturi Crest ($8.60), 2-1/2 metres away third.
In the following race, the Lion Dairy & Drinks Pace (1800m), the Nobes-owned Make Mine Joe lined up from the same draw, gate two on the second row.
If Hryhorec’s drive on Keayang Sporty was brilliant, then his effort on Make Mine Joe was superb.
No sooner than the starter said “Go”, Hryhorec had Make Mine Joe away quickly and dropping in behind The Last Gindi which pushed through from gate one to lead.
With the perfect trail behind the red-hot $1.40 favourite, the Lance Holberton-trained Make Mine Joe ($5.90) was always going to make the finish a contest via the sprint lane at Globe Derby Park.
The four-year-old sprinted quickly over the final 200 metres and came away to score a 1-1/2 metre win from the tough Marzzz Barzzz Bazz ($12.50) with The Last Gindi, a fading long neck away third.
“That was definitely an unusual hat-trick,” Nobes said, “but a very pleasant one.
“I can’t remember ever having had one before and Judy and I will enjoy it.
“We love enjoying the wins, because as every owner knows, they are hard to get on a regular basis. You have to enjoy the ups because there can be plenty of downs.
“Lance and Ryan have done a great job with the horses, and Ryan’s drives were outstanding. There is no better driver here when he is in the zone.”
Nobes said he believed Make Mine Joe had come back a much better horse after a break.
“When he first came here I raced him against strong opposition and he had four wins and five placings. His form was good, but I think it toughened him up.
“From a break he has had two wins and a second and appears to have stepped up a level.”
Keayang Sporty also has had two wins and a second in three runs from a spell and with his turn of foot looks sure to build on that record.
Keayang Storm has also been a consistent performer since coming into the Holberton stable and is proving his versatility by also becoming a more than competent standing-start performer.
Approved By Dean Baring www.harnessbred.com
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