Pearcedale driver Simone Walker was victorious with first-starter Stonedaselle in the Motorpro Automotive Prefessionals Trotters Mobile for T0 class over 2200 metres at Bray Raceway Ballarat on Tuesday night.
A four-year-old daughter of Federal Flex and Stoned At Midnight, Stonedaselle, trained by father Bill, spent most of the race bottled up four back along the markers after starting from gate two, with Copa Comaida whizzing across the face of the field from outside the front line.
Extricated into the clear to be three-wide in the final circuit, Stonesaselle quickly made ground to set out after the heavily supported favourite Suave Taj, which surged past the leader after galloping away from gate three, before hitting his gait and going forward to park in the open.
Running home stylishly, Stonedaselle scored by two metres in advance of Suave Taj, with Pretty Little Lucy flashing home late to be a half-neck away in third place. The mile rate 2:04.9.
Stonedaselle is a half-sister to open class trotter Stoned I Am (Sundon) who has registered 17 wins to date, as well as Stoned Again (four wins) and Stoned On Jazz (two wins) both by Yankee Paco.
Four-year-old Courage Under Fire/Allegria mare Du Vella was successful in the Flying Horse Bistro Pace for C1 class over 1710 metres, much to the delight of former trotting journalist Neale Donnelley and partners.
Trained at Bannockburn by Geoff Webster, Du Vella taking a mares concession was rated a treat by Anthony Butt from gate four, being untroubled to run out an easy 4.5-metre victor over Gnotuk (gate three), which trailed, and Art Pleaser from a long way back in 1:54.5.
The “Ballarat Butcher” Norm McVitty snared the Frank Ford Travel Pace for C0 class over 2200 metres with consistent 5Y0 Dawn Ofa New Day/Machbess gelding Dayraid in a rate of 1:59.8.
With Glen Park’s Zac Steenhuis in the sulky, Dayraid starting from the pole was given a sweet trip trailing the pacemaker Mystic Tiffany (gate three), angling away from the markers on the final bend.
Finishing full of running, Dayraid prevailed by 5.9 metres over David Murphy’s In A Rose Tattoo (three back the markers) which gained an inside passage, with Mystic Tiffany weakening to finish third a head away.
Multiple winning two-year-old gelding Christmas Jolt opened his three-year-old season with a victory by taking the CDC Ballarat Charter Services 3YO Pace over 1710 metres in a breeze.
Trained at Great Western by Peter Manning and driven by daughter Kerryn, Christmas Jolt (Village Jolt/Christmas Cullen) led throughout in the field of three to register a 9.4-metre margin over Big Boy Bobby, which trailed and Sieze Power, returning a mile rate of 1:59.2.
It was Christmas Jolt’s seventh success in 18 race appearances.
Ever reliable 9YO D M Dilinger/Beaconsfield Gold gelding Balance Point chalked up his 13th victory in 88 outings when successful in the Northway Smash Repairs Pace for C3 & C4 class over 1710 metres.
Trained at Bacchus Marsh by Jaime Madruga, Balance Point with Ararat freelance Michael Bellman in the sulky was given a cosy passage mid-field after starting from gate two on the second row, with Lucky VC leading from gate three.
Taken wide on turning, Balance Point swamped his rivals to score by eight metres in advance of Oasis Dream (one/two) and Glenferrie College, which followed the winner. The mile rate a slick 1:55.3.
Bolinda’s Alison Alford paid expenses for a family holiday on the Gold Coast, when her 4Y0 American Ideal/Karamea Mietta gelding Spinners Boy raced by daughter Katie and son Sam greeted the judge in the Ideal Cabinetry Pace for C2 class over 2200 metres.
Driven by husband Chris, Spinners Boy, always handy from gate four, produced a whirlwind finish out wide to record a runaway 3.9-metre victory in a rate of 1:58.4 over the heavily backed leader Arts Stride and Blacks A Beauty, which trailed the frontrunner.
Seven-year-old Kiwi bred Earl/Santa Nita gelding Empire Earl was backed as if there was no settling in the Autopro Ballarat Trotters Handicap for T1 or better class over 2200 metres, with the support justified.
Taking a concession for local Nathan Weightman, Empire Earl trained at Burrumbeet by Michael Stanley came from a daunting 40-metre backmark, spending most of the race at the tail of the field, with Happy Hombre crossing Tella Tall Tale shortly after the start.
Still a “mile” off the leaders approaching the final bend, Empire Earl came with a barnstorming finish down the outside of the track to score by a head from Mallee Trapper, with Button Brigade a neck away third in a blanket finish. The mile rate 2:04.1.
Andy and Kate Gath’s smart 4YO Shadow Play/Seymour Lady entire Valens returned to the winners list when victorious in the Queens Head Hotel Pace for C0 class over 1710 metres.
Settling a the tail of the field after starting from gate two on the second line, Valens bred and raced by Alabar Bloodstock was sent forward three wide solo in the last lap, sustaining a long run to gain the day by 6.2 metres from Im All Show (three back the markers) and a death-seating Shadow Of Fortune in a mile rate of 1-58.7.
Approved By Dean Baring www.harnessbred.com
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