By Adam Hamilton
POSSIBLE Harness Jewels contender Eliza Dushku suffered a surprise defeat at Melton last Friday.
Just six days after a stunning debut win at Menangle in the Pink Bonnet, Eliza Dushka wasn’t as lethal from back in the field, but lost few admirers.
She copped a bump from Lady Machsheen in the closing stages when gathering momentum and was third across the line before successfully protesting against Lady Machsheen.
The race was won in dogged all-the-way fashion by Flying Moth, who is an Art Major half-sister to former top juvenile Lively Moth.
Lively Moth, also trained by Tony Peacock, won 16 races and earned $232,585.
NO wonder connections of star Western Australian mare Major Reality have expressed interest in the Aussie invite to the Harness Jewels.
The Justin Prentice-trained mare made it seven wins on end when she led throughout and dominated the $50,000 Express Stakes (2536m) at Gloucester Park last Friday night.
The daughter of Art Major, winner of the WA Oaks last season, maintained a solid tempo throughout, but still finished-off in 57sec and 28.4sec for a 1min56.5sec mile rate.
Prentice, one of real emerging stars of WA training ranks, had three runners in the race and also grabbed third with Quite A Delight.
MAYBE classy Victorian mare Steam Washed should have been in Sydney.
The Noel and Ruth Shinn trained mare caught the eye with a slashing run in the Terang Cup behind Glenferrie Hood, then scored one of the strongest wins of her career in last Friday night’s Ian Daff Memorial for mares at Melton.
The Kiwi-bred Steam Washed, by Washington VC, sustained a long there-wide run without cover in 55.8sec last half to win strongly in a slick 1min54.7sec mile rate for 1720m.
THIS is the season connections hope will “make” the hugely-talented Yankee Rockstar.
They picked their way through a country features and even dipped their toe in the big league for a slashing fourth in the Hunter Cup behind Smolda.
While trainer Emma Stewart considered a trip to Sydney for last Sunday’s Bohemia Crystal free-for-all, she stayed at home with Yankee Rockstar instead.
The five-year-old dropped back in grade, circled the field from a back row draw to find the lead early and won as he liked in a fast 1min55.2sec mile rate for 2240m.
WINGARA is just one of the many “victims” of this incredibly strong four-year-old crop.
Like so many others, connections of Wingara had a crack at qualifying for the Chariots Of Fire, but could only manage seventh in the Hondo Grattan a few weeks back.
Wingara dropped back in grade and showed his abundant potential by thrashing older rivals in the $15,000 Albury Cup (2555m) last Saturday night.
The son of Dan Ofa New Day blasted to the front from gate four and blew his rivals away with closing splits of 57.4 and 28.3sec to win by 12m.
The Albury Derby on the same night went to Kiwi-bred Itz Billy Hillis, a son of Bettors Delight, who is unbeaten in three runs for trainer Wayne Potter.
WHILE top trainers Emma Stewart and Clayton Tonkin had a day they would rather forget at Menangle last Sunday, they did have one reason to smile.
Veteran and stable favourite Jadahson brilliantly won the Group 3 Charlton Cup.
The eight-year-old beat Perth Inter Dominion contestant Five Star Anvil by 5.5m with another talented pacer, Barimah, in third spot.
The time was a brilliant 1min57.9sec mile rate for 2570m.
It continued the hot form streak of young driver Mark Pitt, who hails from the Riverina area on the Victorian/NSW border.
He is the grandson of decorated horseman Norm Diebert Snr and has been racking up the winners, especially for the Wayne Potter and Stewart/Tonkin barns of late.
Approved By Dean Baring www.harnessbred.com
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