By Adam Hamilton
On a day where big guns Mark Purdon and Emma Stewart dominated, battling Victorian trainer Mick Hughes was one of the great stories.
Hughes trained the talented but sometimes wayward three-year-old trotter Cruisin Around to win his Crown final for a all-star list of Victorian harness identities, including Michael Taranto, Bill Hutchison and many more.
And put relief emotion was evident on Hughes’ face in the moments after the win.
“This just means so much. He hasn’t been the easiest horse to train at times, but I’ve always known he’s had tremendous ability,” he said.
“These owners have been so supportive of me and it’s incredible to share this moment with them.”
Hughes, a former private trainer for one-time leviathan owner-breeder Garry Rogers, now just trains a handful of horses.
He’s long been respected by his peers for his horsemanship and it’s all come through in Cruisin Around.
“There was a time if he’s drawn the inside like today I’d have been very worried, I still was a bit today to be honest because he’s got his quirks, but he’s maturing and getting better all the time,” Hughes said.
Driver Greg Sugars was confident he would hold the lead and when he did so, Cruisin Around was always going to be hard to rundown.
“Once he led, it was his moment to make a bit of a statement,” Hughes said.
Cruisin Around never looked in danger and easily held-off a gallant Sundons Courage to win by 5.6m in a slick 1min58.8sec mile rate for 2240m.
Tony Herlihy’s Temporale sat behind the leader and ran a fair third, while favourite Conon Bridge got back, tried to come three-wide, but failed to flatter in ninth spot.
The only disappointment for the Cruisin Around team was Hutchison not being trackside for the win.
“He goes to the big Irish trots carnival every year and he’s still away in Europe,” part-owner John Murdoch said.
Cruisin Around, who also won the Group 1 Vicbred final this season, has now 11 of his 23 starts and almost $165,000.
Approved By Dean Baring www.harnessbred.com
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