Six-year-old Earl/Miss Universe mare Miss Cosmos broke through for her first career victory in the Brown Hill Laundromat T0 Trot over 2200 metres at Bray Raceway Ballarat on Tuesday September 1.
Bred and raced by Daylesford’s Pat Conroy, trained by octogenarian husband Bob and driven by daughter Anne-Maree, Miss Cosmos starting from gate three and led all of the way to register a six-metre margin on the wire from roughie Anjana Rose, which trailed from the pole, with the winner’s stabelemate, It Is Alexsjasi, coming from last to finish third 3.9 metres away. The mile rate was 2:05.4.
Point Cook trainer Bruce Comben has a great strike rate with his small team and brought up two wins in succession with honest 9Y0 Grinfromeartoear/Bellora Reign gelding Grins Rendition by taking the Flying Horse Bistro Pace Final over 2200 metres.
Taking a concession by Bendigo’s Haydon Gray, Grins Rendition started from gate two on the second line and settled three back in the moving line, with Top Trio going for a hat-trick burning away from gate six to lead.
Not happy with the tempo, Gray sent Grins Rendition forward three-wide mid-race to assume control with around 1600 metres to travel.
Travelling easily, Grins Rendition bounded away on straightening to score by 8.8 metres in a rate of 1:59.1 over Top Trio, which tried hard but was no match in the run to the wire. Rowdy Rocket was 1.7 metres away in third place after following the pair.
Allendale part-owner/trainer Allan Stephens combined with Ararat freelance Michael Bellman to land the Dahlsens Pace over 1710 metres with As Promised/Oursandybeach 4Y0 mare Vivacity in a rate of 2:00.5.
Sent forward from outside the front line, Vivacity was unable to head off David Murphy’s Never Let Me Go (gate two), resulting in him having to park in the open for the entire journey.
With the pair clearing away on turning, Vivacity prevailed by a neck, with the well supported Angry Beach (three wide last lap from the tail of the field third) albeit seven metres away.
Four-year-old Four Starzzz Shark/Satimer Sunset gelding Captain Snooze greeted the judge for Toolern Vale’s John Justice in the Hotondo Homes Pace over 2200 metres.
Starting solo on the second row, Captain Snooze was severely checked at the start when the polemarker Manoeuver Man galloped away, before spending most of the race bottled up four-back on the markers, with the heavily supported Tenacious One crossing In A Rose Tattoo to lead.
Extricated wide on straightening, Captain Snooze ran home best to gain the day by 1.1 metres in advance of Babalaas Jack (three-wide last lap from mid-field), with Jumpingjackhanover (three-back-the-markers) third after In A Rose Tattoo was disqualified for contacting several marker pegs in the straight. The mile rate was 2:00.2.
The Nova Pharmacy Pace over 1710 metres went to 7YO Real Desire Painted Black mare Desiring Kate (Greg Sugars) for Ballarat Trotting Club CEO Paul Rowse and partners..
In a performance that had to be seen to be believed, Desiring Kate was never better than three-wide for the journey after starting from gate five, speedy mare Reeds May leading from gate two for veteran Dick Lee.
When Balance Point joined the pacemaker on the final bend from a one-one position, he looked all over a winner, however Desiring Kate refused to lay down, coming again to blouse him by a head on the wire in a brilliant rate of 1:54.9. Reeds May battled on gamely to be 5.2 metres away in third place.
Melton’s Lance Justice has an exciting ex-New Zealander by the name of Wow Shes Smooth, who chalked up two wins in a row by taking the Nova Pharmacy Pace over 2200 metres.
Driven by Jason Hackett, Wow Shes Smooth a 4Y0 daughter of Bettors Delight and Devine Diva raced by newcomer Chris Mifsud, led throughout from gate three in defeating Ideal Diamante, which raced outside her from the bell, by 2.6 metres in 1:58.9, with Itsallaboutez (four-wide home turn from last) 5.4 metres away in third place.
Local Ross Creek trainer Stephen Clarke used the services of Glen Park concessional reinsman Zac Steenhuis to land the Windscreen Power Trotters Handicap for T1 or better class over 2200 metres with consistent 6Y0 Bacardi Lindy/Downsouth Rose gelding William John who has been having a stint in some Monte’s of late.
Bred and raced by father Jim, William John starting from the pole was crossed at the start by Ainsdale which flew away from barrier four, before moving around him to take over shortly after.
Rated to perfection at the head of affairs, William John held too many guns for his rivals, scoring by three metres from Mallee Trapper (five back the markers from 20 metres) which moved away from the inside in the last lap, making the home turn four wide. Always Treasure (three back the markers) gained an inside passage to finish third. The mile rate was 2:03.9.
The heavily backed odds-on favourite Be Free Dreams found the task of coming from a 50 metre handicap to race in the open too testing and dropped out to finish fifth.
Long Forest husband and wife Andy & Kate Gath went home winners, when 5Y0 Artsplace/Starry Rainbow gelding Arts Stride made it two from two after 12 months off, to capture the Diamond Rewards Join Now Pace for C1 class over 2200 metres.
Scorching away from outside the front line to lead, Arts Stride ran his rivals ragged to register a 9.9 metre victory in 1-58.5 over Nobetterthanthis which trailed, with Metroincharge 4.7 metres away after following the pair.
Approved By Dean Baring www.harnessbred.com
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