28 April 2020 | Tim Walker
It was supposed to be a clash between the returning champion and the new champion.
Someone forgot to tell Ocean Ridge, driver Ryan Warwick and trainers Greg and Skye Bond.
The gelding caused a stunning upset in the Perth Plasterboard Centre Memorial Day Pace (2536m) and claim the biggest scalps in his career in Shockwave and Chicago Bull.
It was a game of cat and mouse between the two favourites coming in for the bell as Chicago Bull moved up three-wide from the rear of the field and Shockwave was quick to pull out in front of him.
Driver Aiden De Campo took Shockwave to the breeze momentarily, then elected to sit on Chicago Bull as they passed the post the penultimate time.
While that was happening, Warwick was calmly sitting three back on the pegs behind leader Talktomeurmattjesty and fellow team Bond runner Our Jimmy Johnstone.
It looked as if the two favourites would fight it out on straightening and when Shockwave hit the front at the 100m mark he looked like he would make it five consecutive wins.
Ocean Ridge had other ideas though and Warwick urged the five-year-old in the closing stages to score by a head to Shockwave.
Chicago Bull lost no admirers in finishing five metres back in third.
It was Ocean Ridge’s second Free-For-All win, having won in the same class back on February 28.
He rated 1.54.4 off the back of a lead time of 1.03.8.
Ocean Ridge’s performance came just a matter of moments after Kingslayer scored his eighth win from just 12 starts in WA in the Direct Trades Supply Pace (2130m).
In the main event of the evening Lavra Joe led all the way to score a comfortable win in the Group 2 Champagne Classic.
Meanwhile, the harness racing industry is mourning the passing of champion driver Gavin Lang.
Lang had battled a rare form of cancer and passed away aged 61.
Lang spoke to TABradio’s The Sports Daily about his career back in 2017.
You can listen to the interview below.
Approved By Dean Baring www.harnessbred.com
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