14 June 2021 | Duncan Dornauf for Tasracing
Talented pacer Earl Jujon added another feature Devonport race to his record with a very tough effort in Sunday night’s $12,000 Ulverstone Cup over the long 2645-metre standing start event.
It was the pacers first win since scoring in the Patrons Marathon in Devonport back in early April.
Earl Jujon is noted for his slow, but safe standing start manners but driver Gareth Rattray was able to get the pacer away a little bit quicker than expected from the pole to settle three back the marker pegs before leading up the one-wide line for the final 2000 metres of the race.
“That’s the best he has stepped away, Gareth said before the race he was going to drive him out and make him go away rather than nurse him away. He certainly got away better with Gareth adopting that tactic on him,” said trainer Ben Yole.
Despite the tough run outside the leader, the gelded son of Rock N Roll Heaven dug deep late to defeat the $3.80 favourite Be Major Threat by a half-neck, with Perfect Mach a further 4.7 metres away third.
“It was a terrific drive, he rated him well in the death, and he put the foot down when the three-wide line came,” said Yole about the pacers victory in a mile rate of 2m 4.6s.
It was Earl Jujon’s second start back from a brief let-up, which was taken on the recommendation of driver Gareth Rattray after the pacer finished third in the Sheffield Cup in early May.
Yole had a big night with a further four winners on the card, notching up his 1000th career win in the process.
Concession driver Jordan Chibnall drove three of those winners with Somedan, Captain Cosmonaut and My Ultimate Romeo, with Yole full of praise for Chibnall’s work ethic with his stable.
“She has improved a lot, obviously the more you do things, the better you get at them and the harder you work, the more luck you have. She is working very hard and obviously when you are driving 10, 15, 20 horses a day in track work and then a big book of drives on the weekend you are going to improve, and she has certainly taken that step ahead that’s for sure,” said.
The other training win for Yole was with in-form Bettors Delight gelding Montana Lad, who was partnered by Troy McDonald.
Rohan Hillier prepared the quinella in the nights other $12,000 feature race, the Max McCormack, with his two Kiwi imports.
Montana Storm ($1.70 fav) for reinsman Conor Crook was able to find the spot outside the leader cheaply in the middle stages to defeat Its Montana Jet by two metres, with the duo putting up a great battle over the final 500 metres.
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