04 January 2018 | Trots Media – Michael Howard
The first bricks along the road to the VHRSC Victoria Derby will be paved this weekend when some of Victoria’s leading lights begin their pursuit of the three-year-old crown.
Ange McDowell’s unbeaten Sportswriter colt Lumineer will contest Friday night’s $20,000 VHRSC 3Y0 Classic and then, less than 23 hours later, Empire Stallions Vicbred Super Series winner Poster Boy kick starts his summer campaign at Bendigo in the Alabar 3YO Pace.
The two are yet to cross swords and almost certainly won’t until their Victoria Derby campaigns, which begin with semi-finals on Ballarat Pacing Cup night (January 20).
A favourite of trainer Emma Stewart, Poster Boy has won seven of his 10 starts and pipped Lumineer for the Victorian two-year-old pacing colt and gelding of the year, a statehood Stewart is confident her colt can reinforce in the January 27 $200,000 Derby final.
“I think he’s come back terrific and I’m itching to take on Lumineer,” Stewart told RSN 927. “He’s probably the benchmark, but I think we’ve pegged him back a bit and (Poster Boy) will run a terrific race on Saturday night.”
She said Poster Boy’s “up and going, he’s ready to fire”, and when asked directly whether she could knock off Australian Pacing Gold winner Lumineer she was typically confident.
“Of course with Poster Boy and I wouldn’t be surprised if one of our other ones (beat Lumineer) too,” Stewart said. “I’m definitely not worried.”
LISTEN: EMMA STEWART JOINED RSN 927 TO TALK ABOUT HER RUNNERS
The “other one” she referred to is Maraetai, her lightly raced Somebeachsomewhere colt who has won both his starts, the last on November 10 at Bendigo.
Stewart also signalled that Konan, who will contest Saturday night’s Strath Village IGA Pace at Bendigo, was also Derby bound, being “a good strong fella” and “a lovely horse, he just has to learn to settle in his races”.
And so it’s over to Lumineer, who will attempt to produce a seventh win from as many starts at Tabcorp Park Melton on Friday night against a field of combatants that includes Stewart’s Art Major gelding Amendment Thirteen.
Reinsman Jason Lee, who has guided Lumineer to each of his victories, is looking forward to being back in the sulky behind trainer Ange McDowell’s superstar.
“He’s obviously just a horse with untapped ability,” Lee said. “He’s shown that right through. He’s still learning his craft. He’s got plenty of upside. The sheer speed and how long he can maintain that speed is probably what sets him apart from most horses.
“It doesn’t sort of matter what you do from here into the future, what he’s already done for Ange and the family in winning (the APG final), he’s probably already the horse of a lifetime.
“Obviously you want him to go on and be a really good horse for a long time, but we will just take what comes and be grateful with that.”
LISTEN: JASON LEE JOINED THE TROT LINE TO TALK LUMINEER, BAD BILLY AND VINCENNES
The VHRSC Victoria Derby features as part of night one of the Summer Of Glory, which is headlined by the $300,000 Pryde’s Easifeed Great Southern Star. Details: www.summerofglory.com.au
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