26 February 2018 | Shane Yates
Hannah Van Dongen was the star of the show at Sunday night’s Devonport Harness Racing meeting.
Hannah filled the coffers of Team Teal in its fight against Ovarian Cancer, not once but twice with two outstanding drives to go with her winning performance from Carrick last week when partnering Cemento Rapido.
The Bill Dornauf-trained six-year-old gelding went back-to-back in the Hardings Hotmix Pace after Hannah elected to take a trail behind the front-runner At West Point.
Hannah bided her time until the home turn when she angled away from the markers and sprinted home for a half-head victory, bringing up Cemento Rapido’s eighth career win.
Hannah was in the middle of the cut and thrust again in the last race of the night.
The youngster could be forgiven for thinking she was competing in the in the Luge or Ariel Skiing at the Winter Olympics in Pyeong Chang when she raced into the first corner aboard Stylish Trend.
The Ben Yole-trained five-year-old gelding was squeezed up between runners with a clipping of wheels Hannah found herself on one wheel and almost thrown out of the cart, however showing a high level of skill and balance she recovered quickly and positioned her charge in third place.
Franco Hammond was out to complete a Friday – Sunday double and Troy McDonald had placed the Ben Yole runner in front but Hannah was breathing down his neck and was sweating on a run at the 200-metre mark.
Despite her close call in the first circuit she held no fears on the home corner, working off the leaders back to overpower Franco Hammond in the run to the post to complete her courageous winning double and notching up her third win for the Team Teal cause.
Tasracing’s support of the Cancer Campaign was called upon again when the State’s Team Teal Ambassador Natalee Emery guided the Roger Whitmore owned and trained four-year-old mare Resurgent Dream (pictured) to the sixth win of her impressive career.
Natalee found the top from gate two with the recent Hobart winner and dictated terms to perfection, scoring a two- metre victory over El Jays Mystery which came from last.
Approved By Dean Baring www.harnessbred.com
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