STAR Victorian pacer Lennytheshark is about to launch his Perth Inter Dominion campaign.
Well, he’s about to return from a spell anyway.
Trainer David Aiken was all smiles after the six-year-old blazed his way to a 35m Shepparton trial win in slick time last Thursday night.
It showed he’s primed for Friday night’s VHRSC Classic (2240m) and a possible clash with Hunter Cup winner Arden Rooney at Melton on Friday night.
Lennytheshark was classes above his two rivals in the trial, but with Aiken’s son, Josh, taking the reins, posted a 1min56sec mile rate for 2190m and ripped home in 55.5sec.
A winner of 19 of his 38 starts, Lennytheshark has not raced since winning the 4&5YO Championship at Melton on May 23.
THIS time last year Luke McCarthy touted Our Hi Jinx as a Grand Circuit star of the future.
The then restricted class pacer ran a slashing third to For A Reason in the Group 1 Queensland Championship.
The son of Christian Cullen has mixed his form a bit since and changed stable, but he’s starting to deliver on the potential McCarthy talked about.
Part-owner Ian Gurney, of Avonnova fame, took over training Our Hi Jinx with McCarthy’s blessing and he snared his biggest win in last Saturday night’s $50,000 Group 2 Be Good Johnny Sprint (1660m).
Our Hi Jinx sat behind the leader and favourite Majestic Major and easily dashed past him along the sprint lane to win by 3.7m in a 1min52.6sec.
It was a real triumph for Gurney with his rejuvenated Mach Alert charging home late for second.
The only lowlight of the race for Gurney came when the remarkable veteran Avonnova settled last and failed to beat a runner home.
The race again raised doubts over just where former superstar youngster Bling It On is at.
He worked early to sit parked from gate six, grabbed the one-one trail, but finished only fairly for a battling fifth.
The eye-catching run came from the emerging NSW pacer Shannonsablast, who sat parked and fought on bravely for a close fourth.
Most of the runners will back-up in next week’s Group 1 Gold Coast Cup where two notable “fresh runners” will include Philadelphia Man and Modern Ruler.
A HUGE thunderstorm ruined last Saturday night’s feature meeting at Melton.
The rain hit so quickly and heavily it left gaping gullies in many parts of the track and meant racing was called-off after race four.
Harness Racing Victoria is now exploring options to reschedule the three feature races, the Melton Plate, Scotch Notch Memorial Trot and Cinderella Stakes for mares.
THERE was plenty of emotion behind the winning return of former star juvenile pacer Yankee Rockstar.
Earlier this year, soon after a below par seventh in the Group 1 Chariots Of Fire on March 1, Yankee Rockstar suffered complications and was left fighting for his life.
It was touch-and-go for a while, but the Emma Stewart-trained pacer pulled through.
Now, just seven months later, Yankee Rockstar is back winning and running fantastic times.
The son of Rocknroll Hanover made it 14 wins from just 19 starts when he stormed home from last to win at Ballarat last Friday night.
Yankee Rockstar, part-owned by high profile Aussie racing media man Andrew Bensley, posted a sizzling 1min55.2sec mile rate for 2200m.
That’s just 0.8sec outside the track record posted by Ameretto in a semi-final of the Breeders Crown back in August.
He was clocked to run his own closing splits in 56.1 and 27.8sec.
Stewart could have gone to last Saturday night’s Melton Plate, but opted for a softer return to racing.
YOUNG couple Kerryn Ann Turner and Robbie Morris continue to emerge as a major force in Australian training ranks.
They underlined it again by winning half the card – four of the eight races – at Menangle last Saturday night.
Most notable was the continued hot form of stable star Iam Mr Brightside, who won the free-for-all again.
The former top juvenile has won four of his past six at Menangle is really started to deliver on the early potential he showed.
“It’s great to have him back where we want him, but we haven’t got at grand plans at the moment,” Morris said.
Iam Mr Brightside blazed over a mile in 1min52sec, but it wasn’t without drama.
The five-year-old raced erratically at one stage, locked wheels and survived a protest by second-placed Devil Dodger.
Morris copped a 10-day suspension from driving.
Morris and Turner’s other wins came with Im El Diablo, My Guy Mac and Snow Cone.
Approved By Dean Baring www.harnessbred.com
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