By Adam Hamilton
CHAMPION driver Anthony Butt is adamant superstar trotter Keystone Del still has plenty to give.
The 10-time Group 1 winner burst into rarefied air when he passed $1 million in earnings via his easy win in last Friday night’s Group 3 Uncle Petrika free-for-all at Melton.
Keystone Del joined the likes of Lyell Creek, Take A Moment, Sundons Gift, I Can Doosit, One Over Kenny and Stent in Australasia’s select “millionaire trotters” club.
“He’s been a great horse and still his … he’s going as well as ever at the moment,” Butt beamed.
“When you look at what he’s done over the past few years, he really deserves his spot with the other million-dollar earners.
“I’m sure there’s plenty to come as well.”
The Brent Lilley-trained Keystone Del hit $1,001,176 with his 9.8m win last Friday in a 1min55.3sec mile rate for 1720m.
Lilley and Butt combined for another major trot win last weekend when former Kiwi mare Oh Nova upset local star Claudys Princess to win the Group 3 Shepparton Trotters’ Cup (2690m).
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MENANGLE’S tag as Australasia’s speed capital gained further momentum last Saturday night.
This time it was for the lead time of the Group 2 Bulli Cup (1609m) when renowned speedsters Bettor Bet Black and Mach Beauty blazed through an opening quarter in 24.8sec … yes, that right 24.8sec.
It took its toll as they both weakened to finish sixth and 11th respectively.
The race was won in a 1min50.5sec mile by enigmatic pacer Spare Me Days.
Trainer-driver Bernie Hewitt understands why punters think are two of Spare Me Days.
“His best is very good, but he can mix his form. He won certainly at his best tonight,” he said.
Spare Me Days blazed down the outside to beat another renowned sit-sprinter Monifeith with Victorian visitor Manuka Man in third spot.
Mighty Frith started favourite was had no hope when trapped three-wide the race and weakened for ninth.
The other key runner was exciting four-year-old Tact Tate, who had a mixed run and got room along the inside late for fifth.
Co-trainer Nathan Jack ruled-out a Harness Jewels raid after the run.
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TRAINER Greg Bond looks set to get the rewards for being a bit daring with his classy filly Dodolicious.
Bond took the daughter of Bettors Delight to Sydney for the NSW Oaks where she won a heat then chased home champion Kiwi filly Dream About Me when second in the final.
The trainer then “threw her in the deep” when she drew poorly, had little luck and raced roughly for eighth against the boys in the WA Derby.
Back against her own sex and Dodolicious dominantly posted her 10th win from just 17 starts when she won a WA Oaks prelude at Gloucester Park last Friday night.
Simply, she proved she was a level above the other local fillies.
Dodolicious drew outside the front, sat parked and won brilliantly by 5.6m in a slick 1min55.5sec mile rate for 2130m.
She clearly looks the one to beat in this Friday night’s $150,000 Oaks final.
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EMMA Stewart didn’t win half the card at Melton like she has been of late, but she still snared the quinella in the feature of the night, the Group 3 Silver Chalice.
Stewart’s emerging star Lovelist was backed from $2.30 into $1.50 favourite, but had to be content with second to her stablemate Starburst Girl in a blistering 1min56.6sec mile rate for 2240m.
Lovelist had to do all the work outside her main danger, NSW raider Makes Every Scents, and Starburst Girl made the most of the one-one trail to snatch victory by a half head.
It continued the rise of young reinsman Mark Pitt, who is getting some great opportunities through the Stewart and Clayton Tonkin stable.
Lovelist was far from disgraced after burning down the back straight in a 27sec split and still running home in 28.2sec.
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THERE is something exciting about young trotter Sparkling Success.
Trained by trotting devotee John Meade and now driven by Gavin Lang, Sparkling Success continued his surge through the classes when he upstaged a couple of Harness Jewels possible at Melton last Friday night.
The four-year-old son of Great Success had a lovely run behind the leader and favourite Eljaykay Phoenix and sprint-laned him to win by a head with Illawong Armstrong third after trying to sustain a run from back in the field.
After doing things wrong at his first two runs, Sparkling Success has raced six times since for five wins and a second.
Eljaykay Phoenix, Illawong Armstong and Nicole Molander’s Reina Danzante – who won in moderate company at Shepparton last Saturday night – are all in contention for the 4YO Jewels trotting invite this week.
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HAS David Aiken’s three-year-old trotting filly Princess Phoenix raced her way into the Harness Jewels?
More should be known this week, connections are keen and she looked good winning at Shepparton last Saturday night.
Princess Phoenix bounced back from a string of good minor placings to lead throughout and win the Shepparton Trotters Oaks Trial in a slick 2min0.7sec mile rate for 2190m.
It has to be said her task was made much easier when the two main dangers, Courchevel and Aldebaran Ay M, both broke at the start.
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FORMER Sydney Inter Dominion heat winner Ultimate Art is fast becoming the new pin-up pacer of Queensland.
Amazing old-timer Avonnova might still hold that tag, but Ultimate Art is rapidly winning races and hearts since former trainer-driver-owner Michael Formosa sent him to Queensland.
Now in the Shannon Price barn, Ultimate Art is simply in a different league to the other Queensland open-class pacers.
The six-year-old made it six wins on end when he sat parked in a 1min56.6sec mile rate and easily won again last Saturday night.
Ultimate Art won the race when he crushed the leader in a 26.7sec split down the back straight and was still good enough to pace a 27.8sec last quarter.
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WHAT a wonderful broodmare Pixel Perfect is becoming.
The daughter of Art Major, who never made it to the racetrack, has produced talented performers from just four foals to the race.
The most successful is Birdy Mach (11 wins, $111,377) and there is also Soho Tribeca (five wins, $77,710) and Perfect Mach (eight wins, $64,066).
Now comes two-year-old filly Carlas Pixel, who won the Australian Gold 2YO Fillies consolation final at Menangle last Saturday night.
The Dean Braun-trained filly has won two of her three starts and looked good in a 1min55.8sec mile with Todd McCarthy taking the reins.
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