By Adam Hamilton
THE “Queen” is back.
Brilliant mare Arms Of An Angel showed she was poised to make up for lost time when a blistering win in the Group 3 Norms Daughter at Menangle last Saturday night.
Most of this year has been a write-off the Shane and Lauren Tritton-trained mare after injuries and ill-health derailed her after huge runs behind Have Faith In Me in the Chariots Of Fire and Miracle Mile.
Arms Of Angel made it two wins from as many runs on the comeback trail when she worked to the front and won easily in a sizzling 1min50.7sec mile last Saturday night.
“It’s great to have her back. We thought she was ready to go a quick mile and she will keep improving from here,” Shane Tritton said.
Arms Of An Angel’s splits were 26.8, 28.1, 27.8 and 28.0sec.
“We’re just heading towards the big races in February/March,” Tritton said.
Whether that’s the Ladyship Mile or Miracle Mile is something the Trittons will decide closer to the big races.
Team Tritton also snared another win with exciting four-year-old Salty Robyn, who led throughout in a 1min51.4sec mile to score by 6.2m. His closing splits were staggering in 53.4 and 26.3sec.
It wasn’t all fun for the Trittons at Menangle with their Miracle Mile hopeful Lombo Kotakinabalu narrowly escaping serious injury.
The mobile gate contacted the outside fence and caused chaos at the start of the fifth event and Lombo Kotakinabalu crashed into the gate.
He was as late scratching, but Shane Tritton tweeted out: “Lombo Kotakinabalu has pulled up 100 per cent fine after his fight with the mobile arm last night … very lucky.”
The free-for-all was won in fantastic style by John McCarthy’s former classy juvenile Allblack Stride, who has been rejuvenated switching from Geoff Webster’s stable back to the McCarthys in NSW. He went a 1min50.7sec mile.
VETERAN NSW raider Freyberg opened his Perth campaign with a slashing second at Gloucester Park last Friday.
Kevin Pizzuto’s Kiwi-bred drifted back from a wide draw, made his move with a lap to go, hit the front on the home bend and was just nabbed late by popular local Smokey The Bandit in a 1min55.5sec mile rate for 2240m.
Heavily-backed favourite Cyamach wilted late to run fourth after leading, but did have to survive an early speed burn with Ima Connoisseur to hold the front.
The field lack the depth many expected with trainers opting not to run just seven days before the opening round of Inter Dominiin heats.
HER stable stars are away in Perth, but top trainer Emma Stewart still had the depth in her team to win the fast-class race at Melton last Friday night.
Recent stable addition Young Modern made the most of a slight drop back in grade to overcome a wide draw and win in a 1min55.3sec mile rate for 2240m for driver Gavin Lang.
Former country cup star Im Corzin Terror, who once upset Terror To Love in the Ballarat Cup, continued his encouraging comeback with a strong second from the back row.
IT is hard to believe former Kiwi trotting mare K D Muscles managed just the one win in NZ.
Now owned by Norm Jenkin of Flashing Red fame, the daughter of Muscle Mass continues to clock up the wins in Victoria for Andy and Kate Gath.
She led throughout at Melton last Friday night to take her Aussie record to 15 starts for eight wins and three seconds. Since crossing the ditch she has earned more than $80,000.
K D Muscles had the speed to hold the lead from the pole and Kate Gath rated her beautifully in front to beat Brent Lilley’s Sun Of Anarchy by 2.1m in a 1min58.9sec mile rate for 2240m.
TEAM Aiken is very much focused on Perth with the Inter Dominion starting on Friday, but they unleashed an exciting up-and-comer at Melton last Friday.
The lightly-raced Roll With It thrashed a handy field by 20.2m in a 1min54.4sec mile rate for 1720m.
The four-year-old took a while to make it to the races, but is making up for lost time with six wins from just 13 starts.
Roll With It is by Rock N Roll Heaven out of Dazed A Confused, a winner of 12 races including the Breeders Crown 3YO Fillies’ final in 2008.
THERE will never be another Baltic Eagle to Kim Prentice.
But the respected WA horseman believes he has found the closest thing in former Victorian pacer Soho Tribeca.
The son of American Ideal had good two and three-year-old seasons with the Jayne Davies stable and was only a length or so off the best of his age.
Leviathan owner-breeder Rob Watson opted to take Soho Tribeca back home to WA and gave him to Prentice a few months back with the Golden Nugget in mind.
Soho Tribeca made it two wins from as many starts for Prentice when he scored easily at Gloucester Park last Friday night.
“You don’t often get a horse with his record and talent drop into the stable,” Prentice said.
“I’ve played around with a lot of his gear because he used to get keen in his races and he’s really settled now.
“He did it tonight and is right on target for the big four-year-old races.”
Prentice is unsure whether he will go to the 4YO Championship this week or wait for the McInerney Ford 4YO the week after. The main goal, the Nugget, is on Inter Dominion final night (December 9).
Soho Tribeca rates in the top three chances for the Nugget with Mark Purdon and Natalie Rasmussen’s Mr Mojito and Gary Hall Sr’s Chicago Bull.
Prentice’s son, Justin, also has a Nugget contender in Natural Disaster, who led throughout to win the first Nugget Prelude in a 1min55.5sec mile rate for 2130m last Friday night.
Another notable Gloucester Park winner last Friday night was Gary Hall’s classy mare Ideal Alice, who simply proved a league above her rivals in the sixth race.
The six-year-old is back in peak form just in time for the mares’ features during the Perth Inter Dominion series.
EMERGING Victorian pacer Jilliby Jagger made a successful hit-and-run raid on Adelaide last Saturday night.
The Glen Craven-trained gelding simply outclassed his rivals to win the Italian Cup in a brisk 1min55.6sec mile rate for 1800m at Globe Derby.
He’s now won three in a row and 14 of his 29 starts.
Approved By Dean Baring www.harnessbred.com
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