By Adam Hamilton
LENNYTHESHARK has some improving to do if he is to win the Perth Inter Dominion.
Sure he was first-up since May 23, but the buzz Victorian player did a few things wrong and appeared to have every chance when beaten in the VHRSC Classic (2240m) at Melton last Friday night.
Chris Alford opted to back Lenny’s speed and sit quietly outside the leader, Major Crocker, after making a midrace move to sit there.
But when Alford asked for the effort on the final bend, Lennytheshark wobbled, started to hang and never looked like running down the leader.
It’s not the first time he’s raced so waywardly and looms as a major issue going to an even smaller track with a tighter home bend like Gloucester Park.
In his defence, the last quarter was run in 26.7sec and Lenny did try hard all the way to the wire.
Lennytheshark will have two more lead runs in Victoria, the next on Friday week at Melton, before heading to Perth for the first round of Inter heats on November 27.
But the honours went fairly and squarely to the underrated and improving Major Crocker.
It was a crucial win to help Major Crocker climb the rankings for the Perth Inter Dominion, which trainer Vince Vallelonga is keen to be part of.
Major Crocker did some early work to find the front, but driver Greg Sugars then steadied throughout a 61.6sec middle half.
The former Breeders Crown 4YO champion ran right up to his previous eye-catching effort when a fast-finishing fourth to Philadelphia Man at Melton on October 2.
It was a golden night for Vallelonga who also won a support race with his second best horse Manuka Man.
The son of of Our Sir Vancelot sat behind the leader and used the sprint lane to win narrowly but impressively in a 1min54.4sec mile rate for 1720m.
CHAMPION horseman Luke McCarthy is beyond chuffed.
He can’t believe his luck that Kiwi trainer Brendon “Benny” Hill has sent buzz pacer Dalton Bromac across to he and wife, Belinda, to train.
Hill confirmed last week Dalton Bromac, who 12 months ago was up with the most exciting pacers on either side of the ditch, had been sent to NSW in a bid to take the next step in his career.
It stems from Hill’s belief Dalton Bromac hadn’t come back anywhere near as well as he’d hoped this campaign, perhaps because of the brutally cold Canterbury winter.
It was a commendable and selfless decision from the hugely respected Hill, who seems to only wish for Dalton Bromac to fulfil his abundant potential.
McCarthy said: “Yeah, it’s fair to say I’m really happy he’s come out way. He’s shown so much talent.”
Dalton Bromac has raced just 19 times for 11 wins, but he hasn’t raced since a fourth at Addington behind Messini on May 22.
He’s arrived at Team McCarthy with plenty of time to prepare races like the Victoria and Hunter Cups as well as the Miracle Mile in February/March next year.
THE Amanda Turnbull/Nathan Jack combo has rapidly become a lethal force.
It doesn’t seem long ago they were considered an emerging force when they took Just Cala and Glenferrie Bronte across for the Harness Jewels in Ashburton.
They didn’t set the world on fire during that trip, but they certainly have since returning home.
Most of the horses race in Turnbull’s name and one of the most exciting of the blossoming stable is former Kiwi mare Betabcool.
The five-year-old has raced 10 times since joining Turnbull’s stable and posted seven wins, two seconds and a fourth.
The latest win, at Melton last Friday night, was the one that really stamped the young Bettors Delight mare as potentially one of the best of her sex in Australia.
A big call? Not really when you consider the work she did, the ground she covered and the fight she showed late to win The Blossom Lady.
Despite the hard run, Betabcool dug deep to win by 1.8m in a 1min57.2sec mile rate for 2240m with Turnbull taking the reins herself.
IT is into the big time now for exciting trotter Glenferrie Typhoon.
The six-year-old completed a hattrick of wins at Melton last Friday night and has now raced just five times for three wins, a second and a third for the Andy Gath stable.
“We nearly put him into the good races a week or so back, but spotted this restricted race for him so held back for one more run,” Gath said.
“That’s it for the easier races now, he’s into the features and we think he’s up to them. His speed is the most exciting part.
“He’d shown plenty before we bought him, he did run second in the Breeders Crown 4YO final just over a year ago, so it’s not surprising to see him putting this sort of form together.”
The obvious next step for Glenferrie Typhoon is the Group 3 Scotch Notch Memorial Trot at Melton on October 31, which almost certainly means a clash with Keystone Del.
IT was great to see top horseman Lance Justice back and winning at Melton last Friday night.
Nasty race fall-related injuries have seen Justice spend more time on the sidelines than driving in the past three years, but he’s back at it again.
Justice snared a double, winning the first and last racesd with Garibaldi and recent Kiwi import Hu Hu R U, who has impressively won both races coming to Australia.
LAST season’s Sydney Inter Dominion finalist Blaze N Cullen made a winning return at Menangle last Saturday night.
Trained and driven by John McCarthy, the son of Christian Cullen stepped out for the first time in five months and saluted in a stirring three-way finish by a nose over Beetson with Devil Dodger another head away.
A NSW raider won the Group 1 Darrell Alexander Memorial Trot at Albion Park last Saturday, but it wasn’t the one punters wanted.
Former Kiwi trotter Cyclone Lucky Seven, trained by Team McCarthy’s stable foreman Alex Alchin, was sent out a commanding $1.90 favourite, but had to settle for second.
The $50,000 race went to Blake Fitzpatrick’s talented mare My Valerie, who was well driven by local Pete McMullen to overcome a 10m handicap and post a 2min1.8sec mile rate for 2647m.
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