By Adam Hamilton
DREAMS do come true, just ask Greg Sugars.
For all the big races the superstar driver has won, none meant as much as Saturday night’s $70,000 Group 2 Kilmore Cup aboard Soho Tribeca.
That’s because one of Sugars’ most treasured photos is one he and sister Kylie in their father Ross’ arms with Kylie holding the 1987 Kilmore Cup aloft.
“I’ve had my eye on the prize for a long time now. That’s Soho Tribeca for making a dream come true!!” Sugars tweeted moments after the win.
And what an epic win it was … a battle royale with Emma Stewart’s star stayer Shadow Sax.
Certainly befitting of a race with such a rich history at the Kilmore Cup.
Shadow Sax worked his way to the front and when Sugars roared around the field to hunt for the lead, Chris Alford gave him a big “no way.”
The pair locked horns through a scorching 57.3sec middle half of the 2690m race.
Soho Tribeca looked to have the better of Shadow Sax on the home bend.
“I thought I had him covered, I still knew we’d have a battle because Emma’s horses don’t give in without a fight,” Sugars said.
Soho Tribeca overpowered Shadow Sax in the final stages to win by 2.5m in a 1min56sec mile rate, taking 2.7sec off the track record.
It was his first win for new trainer Mick Stanley after those massive placings in the Hunter Cup and Miracle Mile.
“He’ll have a little break now then we’ll go for the Len Smith Mile and probably the Blacks A Fake in Queensland,” Stanley said.
The lure of the Blacks A Fake is that victory would see him snatch the Grand Circuit champion tag from Lazarus.
Stanley said an NZ Cup raid was also a possibility.
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STAR Sydney speedster Anything For Love will continue his career in the US.
Trainer Shane Tritton admitted to mixed emotions when he farewelled the five-year-old from his stable over the weekend.
The sale came just weeks after Anything For Love led throughout to beat Soho Tribeca in the Group 1 Allied Express Sprint then ran sixth in the Miracle Mile.
“It was a good offer, a big offer, but we’re sad to see young horse like him go while he’s still on the way up,” Tritton said.
“It’s a great result for the owners who paid $25,000 for him to win more than $200,000 in our stable and then sell him for serious money to the US.
“I think he’ll be a star over there because he’s heading there young and still on the improve. He should end-up one of the best horses over there.”
Anything For Love heads to the US having raced 42 times for 12 wins, 16 placings and over $220,000 in stakes.
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IT’S that time of year again when the Aussies start to look seriously at the Harness Jewels.
We know Chariots Of Fire winner Jilliby Kung Fu looks set to tackle the Jewels, but connections of many others have expressed strong interest as well.
Young trotter Custodian won the Jewels when trained by Mark Purdon and Natalie Rasmussen as a two-year-old and connections have expressed interest in returning this year as a four-year-old.
Custodian, who won last season’s NSW Trotters Derby, is on the comeback trail after injury sidelined him between May last year and his first run back on March 10.
Second-up at Melton last Friday night, he led from gate two and won as he liked by 5.3m in a 1min58.1sec mile rate for 1720m, dashing home in 57.7 and 27.9sec.
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FORMER Kiwi colt Golden State looks a key player in the $200,000 Group 1 WA Derby at Gloucester Park on April 6.
Just how prominent a player he is depends on the race against time to get nominal Derby favourite, high-priced Kiwi import King Of Swing fit again after a cold.
The Mike Reed-trained Golden State used gate one to lead and comfortably win a prelude of the WA Derby at Gloucester Park last Friday night.
Driver Shannon Suvaljko allowed the colt to stride along with splits of 29.6, 29.7 and then a flying 27.2sec third quarter before finishing off in 29.2sec for a 1min56.3sec mile rate over 2130m.
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ZAC Cornell has raced some terrific horses and he’s adamant former Kiwi four-year-old mare Share The Road is next in line.
Cornell had loads of success with the likes of Arms Of An Angel, Suave Stuey Lombo and Mach Beauty.
Share The Road missed the start when a huge second at Swan Hill at her Aussie debut for trainer-driver Laura Crossland, but as since impressively won three on end.
The latest came when she easily beat another buzz Kiwi import, Boom Time, for the second time in a row at Melton last Friday night.
“We got her for $40,000 from the deep south NZ and I think she’s special,” Cornell said. “I think she’s up with the best four-year-old mares in Australia, but we don’t have any targets as yet. Just keep cruising along.”
Approved By Dean Baring www.harnessbred.com
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