Victorian Heavens Trend unleashed another devastating run yesterday at Menangle to land her first Group 1 victory in the Pepper Tree Farms Breeders Challenge Final for two-year-old fillies.
The daughter of Rock N Roll Heaven out of a Perfect Art mare, Trend Setter, who herself was a talented juvenile, Heavens Trend scorched early in the one-mile race and ripped through an electric 26.1secs first quarter before leaving her rivals gasping off the back with a devastating dash.
All the while reinsman Gavin Lang sat quietly in the sulky behind the rising star from the Emma Stewart camp at Smythes Creek, having a peep over his shoulder on the home turn before allowing Heavens Trend to coast up the stretch on her way to a 1:52.9 victory time.
It was marginally slower than Heavens Trend’s semi-final mark of 1:52.1 a fortnight ago, but she looked to have plenty up her sleeve at the end yesterday.
Hot Shot Woman flew home after a soft trip in transit to finish second, while Boundtobemad ran third ahead of Mark Purdon’s Our Golden Goddess in fourth. But none of the nice fillies are anywhere near the winner.
Lang has now won five from five aboard Heavens Trend, whose only defeat in six runs came on debut at Melton.
Heavens Trend will set her sights on the rich Australasian Breeders Crown in Victoria after possibly making a trip to Queensland to contest the Group 1 Qbred Triad Final on July 18.
Monday June 29, 2015
By Cody Winnell
Driving the Future of Harness Racing