Brother and sister Trevor and Helen Stutley celebrated an impressive owner-breeder winning double at Globe Derby Park on Saturday night.
Firstly, Up Country, trained and driven by Dani Hill, scored a brilliant win in the Maughan Thiem Ford Ranger Pace (2230m).
Then, exciting pacer Bit Of Reality, driven by Dani’s brother Wayne, and trained by their father Gary, continued his rise through the grades with a win in the Globe Derby Smorgasbord final (1800m).
Up Country’s win was an exciting affair.
A well backed $2.50 favourite Up Country scored a half head win from Mighty Mav ($2.80) with Ben Cartwright ($34.80) 17 metres away third.
Hill settled Up Country back in the field and when Anthony Robinson on Mighty Mav went forward she trailed him up then took the spot outside the leader.
Up Country was taken to the front past Norman’s gate with Mighty Mav right on his back.
Robinson waited to the home straight before coming out with Mighty Mav and the gelding sprinted strongly.
Hill said she had trouble pulling the ear plugs on Up Country but finally got them out close to home and the gelding responded to grab a narrow win.
Robinson said he thought he might have taken a narrow lead close to home but Hill’s explanation made sense as the reason Mighty Mav just failed.
The Stutleys bred Up Country by Artesian out of their mare Demille and because of his ability had gone back to the stallion with two fillies, a two-year-old and a yearling, to come through.
Trevor Stutley said Up Country had done a great job to come back and win races after injury issues.
“Dani and I have talked about maybe taking him to Victoria to try and pick up an M0,” Mr Stutley said. “Early on we didn’t think he travelled but after his last win at Port Pirie Dani said he had taken it in his stride.”
The Stutleys’ double came up with Bit Of Reality which had an easy win in the Globe Derby Smorgasbord Pace final (1800m).
A $1.10 favourite, Bit Of Reality settled back in the field from gate eight before Wayne Hill took the four-year-old around to the lead and then controlled the race.
The gelding ended up winning by nine metres from Lorimermara ($6.70) with Seenohearnospeakno ($16.50) a metre away third.
The race created interest when Lorimermara moved up to Bit Of Reality on the home turn and looked a chance of creating an upset but once in the straight, the favourite dashed away.
“Because he is still a bit immature I tend to not drive him around the corners but rather keep him balanced,” Wayne Hill said.
“In the home straight he tends to run up the track, probably because of the advertising boards near the winning post, but he runs truly down the back.
“Bit Of Reality is slowly improving with racing but still just wants to race. Hopefully he will learn to settle with a bit of maturity.”
Trevor Stutley said he and trainer Gary Hill would also like to head to Victoria with the four-year-old to try and pick up his Vicbred bonus.
“At the moment he is still a bit too immature to take away but it is something we want to do in time,” Mr Stutley said.
“Because he is such a big, strong horse and did things wrong early we have our hearts in our mouths each time he runs but he seems to be getting better and Wayne understands him.”
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