TWO of harness racing’ s most enduring participants combined to provide one of the biggest upsets on the country cups circuit in recent years when Kotare Roland scored a last stride win in last Sunday’s Jim Phillips Memorial Cobram Cup.
Freelance reinsman Neil McCallum and Yarra Glen horseman Roly Wilson enjoyed a late Christmas present when Kotare Rowland prevailed at the massive odds of $119.
Kotare Roland settled five horses back along the pegs as favourite punters were put out of play early when the $2.60 favourite Hectorjayjay back pedalled as the tapes were released and was pulled up out of the race shortly after.
McCallum eased away from the pegs into the running line in the back straight and Kotare Roland was able to latch on to the back of Barimah in the three-wide train around the home turn.
Kotare Roland was the fresh horse on the scene in the home straight and produced the strongest finishing sprint to get up and score by a metre from Barimah with Smudge Bromac two metres away in third place.
The win was Kotare Roland’s first in Wilson’s colours since being claimed for $35,000 in November last year.
McCallum said his charge was travelling well approaching the home turn.
“I hadn’t done a lot of work in the run and he was feeling good so I went up inside one to get the back of Barimah and then it was just a case of could I catch the leaders in the straight,” he said.
“It was just a great result for a guy like Roly who has been around for a long time and been a great contributor to the sport through the Yarra Glen club.”
McCallum said the seven-year- old had rarely run a bad race in recent months.
“He got beaten a head in the Gunbower Cup and while he isn’t quite an A grader he has a nice furlong in him with the right run which he proved today,” he said.
Approved By Dean Baring www.harnessbred.com
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