NZ HARNESS NEWS
THE return of the Inter Dominion trotting series could come just at the right time for Tornado Valley.
Kiwi fans might find it hard to believe, but the six-year-old has quickly emerged to stamp himself as good a trotter as there is in Australia.
Any doubts were erased when he humiliated a good field in the Group 3 Sundons Gift free-for-all (2240m) at Melton on Saturday night.
It was as dominant a display as you’d see.
Most thought Tornado Valley would lead from gate five, but instead he was trapped parked and had his main rival, star mare Red Hot Tooth, camped on his back.
In a solidly run race, Tornado Valley zoomed past the leader Illawong Armstrong and left Red Hot Tooth floundering.
With Kate Gath just nursing him, the son of Skyvalley coasted to an 11.9m win in a sharp 1min57.9sec mile rate for 2240m.
It was his fourth win on end and by far his best in Australia so far.
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THE All Stars barn have another star headed their way with NSW Oaks winner Shez All Rock.
If, as expected, Mark Pitt sends the filly to NZ she will absolutely be a major player in all the major three-year-old fillies’ races.
Shez All Rock, who looked so good winning a heat and final of the NSW Oaks in February, returned from a freshen up and blitzed a moderate field at Shepparton last Friday night.
Pitt dawdled around in front and ripped home in 26.8sec to win as she liked by 16.2m.
It was her first run for new US-based owner Chris Ryder.
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MARK Purdon’s assault on this year’s Australian Gold starts when Letterkenny Boy tackles a qualifying heat at Menangle on Tuesday.
The son of Art Major did plenty of work and raced greenly in the home, but still won his only start on the grass against older rivals at Motukarara on April 2.
Letterkenny Boy has gate three, but won’t get things all his own way with Bathurst Gold Crown placegetter Animal alongside in gate four.
Luke McCarthy has the drive on Letterkenny Boy.
The Menangle card has five Gold heats, three of them for colts and geldings and the other two for fillies.
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THIS game is a great leveller, just ask Tim Butt.
Butt took his A-team to Menangle on Saturday night, but left without a win.
His record-breaking Miracle Mile winner My Field Marshal only beat three runners home when first-up from a break and only seventh in the Group 3 Brian Hancock Cup (1609m).
My Field Marshal drew the outside, drifted back to last and never looked a chance, especially with the leaders running home in 54.3 and 26.8sec.
The race was won by Craig Cross’ underrated speedster Mach Doro, who burst off the gate to lead, took a sit and then finished well late in a 1min51sec mile.
Butt’s Chariots Of Fire runner-up Let It Ride, also first-up from a break, was beaten into third spot as favourite in a support race.
His run was solid through after coming from off the speed and getting within 1.4m of the winner in closing splits of 55.2 and 27.3sec.
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NSW Derby winner Poster Boy returned from a freshen-up with a sharp Melton win on Saturday night.
It was a stroll around much of the 2240m race for driver Chris Alford after whizzing to the front from gate three.
Poster Boy quickened slightly for a 28.5sec third split, but then reeled-off one of the fastest official last quarters on record at Melton – 25.9sec.
The son of Somebeachsomewhere cruised to a five metre win over stablemate Konan in a 1min56.8sec mile rate.
Poster Boy’s trainer Emma Stewart also won the fast-class race of the night when Nathan Jack piloted classy mare Berisari to a strong win in the Westburn Grant free-for-all.
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DEAN Braun is starting to rival Kerryn Manning for his strike with ex-pats of the All Stars barn.
Braun has enjoyed huge success with Stars Align, who won easily again at Melton on Saturday night, and now Partyon is doing the same.
The former NSW Oaks winner made it two wins from as many runs for Braun when she produced one of the best performances of her career on Saturday night at Melton.
Partyon popped out of the one-one early to parked outside her main danger, former Victoria Oaks winner Miss Graceland, then proceeded to crush her.
Driver Nathan Jack was still swinging against Partyon as she zoomed clear on the home bend and she cruised to a 6.8m win in a scorching 1min53.3sec mile rate for 1720m.
She looms as one of the hardest to beat in the upcoming Group 1 Queen of the Pacific at Melton.
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IT was great to see the colours made so famous by former superstar three-year-old Menin Gate back in the winner’s circle at Melton on Saturday night.
Debutante juvenile filly Single Tree Road looked very sharp winning her heat of the Australian Gold series for trainer Mick Stanley and driver Chris Alford.
The news wasn’t as good for Stanley later in the night when his boom filly Soho Nolita – the baby half-sister to Soho Tribeca – raced very greenly and wilted for fourth in her heat.
Soho Nolita was nominal favourite with most to win the final.
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EVERGREEN WA star Bettors Fire posted his 35th career win at Gloucester Park last Friday night.
It’s a credit to trainer-driver Kyle Harper who has nursed the Kiwi-bred veteran through a string of injury setbacks.
The nine-year-old’s latest all-the-way win came at his 94th start. He also been placed 21 times and earned over $720,000.
Another former Kiwi veteran The Bucklet List scored a monstrous win in the open-class handicap on the night, roaring clear by 25m in a sizzling 1min57.1sec for the 2503m stand off a 20m handicap.
Michael “Mouse” Brennan has done a superb job keeping the sit-sprinter so keen and Michael Grantham drove a terrific race.
The Bucket List is part-owned by talented young WA racecaller and form expert Matt Young.
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