Track records were the order of the night on Saturday in two different states Bling It On lowered the Albion Park record for 2138 metres while at Swan Hill Arden Rooney captured his best form to set a new track record of 1.57.3 for the 2790 metre standing start trip, when the Bettors Delight 6 year old captured the Group 3 Swan Hill Cup.
After being inconvenienced at the start on his 30 metre handicap driver Kerryn Manning worked forward as soon as the front markers had settled down to find the lead after half a lap, Manning kept the pace on throughout and the Hunter Cup champion gave nothing else a chance.
Arden Rooney at the finish had 3.6 mtres to spare beating Savesometimetodream and Let’s Elope third.
For Arden Rooney it was a timely return to form the gelding now looks likely to return to his native New Zealand to take on the New Zealand Trotting Championship on the second Tuesday in November, a race he finished down the track in last year.
Arden Rooney now has six cup wins in Australia since joining Kerryn Manning, victorious in last year’s Group 1 Hunter Cup, as well as the Mildura, Geelong and Terang Cups and now the Swan Hill Cup.
By Bettors Delight from a Walton Hanover mare Tosca Hanover who also left Arden Torres a 6 time winner in West Australia and Maritime Arden (Somebeachsomewhere) a 3 time winner in New Zealand.
This is a strong maternal line that traces back to Reba Lord a Inter Dominion Consolation winner in 1990 who won 17 races in New Zealand and went onto become a top liner in North America.
Approved By Dean Baring www.harnessbred.com
Driving The Future Of Harness Racing
