Star Kiwi mare Our Princess Tiffany has another Group 1 feature at her mercy.
Now in the care of Dean Braun, the four-year-old returned to something like her very best form to thrash major rival Miss McGonagall in her Vicbred semi-final at Melton on Tuesday night.
Now she’s drawn gate two for the $130,000 final on New Year’s Eve at Melton at dominates betting at $1.25 with Miss McGonagall (gate six) next best at $7.
“She landed in a good spot early and felt great in the run,” driver Chris Alford said. “She quickly had the favourite covered when I let her rip and really hit the line strongly.”
The daughter of Art Major has won three of six runs in this Aussie stint with Braun and taken her record to 38 starts for 21 wins, 11 placings and $878,262.
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Australia’s best pacer Lochinvar Art should ice a magnificent year with victory in his Group 1 Vicbred 4YO entires and geldings final.
His 18 starts this season have netted 12 wins, four placings and included Group 1 wins in the Victoria Cup, Chariots Of Fire and 4YO Bonanza along with second in the Miracle Mile.
Lochinvar Art stamped his class with a dominant Vicbred semi win – in a blistering 1min53.1sec mile rate for 2240m in wet and windy conditions – on Tuesday night.
Already the standout in his division, he drew the pole for the final and is a $1.15 favourite.
“Mindful he’s got a big few months ahead, I haven’t done much with him at home so he’ll improve on what you saw in the semi,” trainer-driver David Moran said.
Beyond the Vicbred final on New Year’s Eve, Moran’s targets are the Shepparton Cup (January 16), Ballarat Cup (January 23), Hunter Cup (February 6), Newcastle Mile (February 19) and Miracle Mile (March 6).
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The rampaging Emma Stewart and Clayton Tonkin barn is primed to build heavily on its already amazing 25 Vicbred Grand Finals.
Incredibly, they have the favourite and/or second favourite in eight of the 10 Group 1 Vicbred finals at Melton on New Year’s Eve.
Their headline acts are glamour juveniles Ladies In Red, he filly who is chasing a perfect 10 wins from as many starts this season, and Major Moth, who is trying to complete the Breeders Crown/Vicbred double.
Ladies In Red led and won her semi as she liked, but drew the worst possible alley (gate eight, inside back row) for the final and is a $1.50. Stablemate Tough Tilly, who looks the leader from gate two, is $2.70.
“It’s pretty scary how easily she does it,” Ladies In Red’s driver David Moran said after the semi. “I really never moved on her tonight, she seems to be getting better.”
Major Moth came from the back row to easily win his semi and will have to do the same from gate nine in the final. He’s a $1.55 shot with stablemate and other semi winner, Idyllic, at $2.30 from gate two.
“I got around and controlled it so easily (from the death) tonight,” Major Moth’s driver Damian Wilson said after the semi. “He’s such a dominant horse. He’s shown the fastest two-year-old around and those past two wins show he’s as strong as any of them as well. I can pretty much drive him how I want.
“Idyllic was good winning his semi two and he’s got the draw to make it a contest in the final.”
Tonkin and Stewart only have three trotters in work and they are all major winning chances in their respective Vicbred finals.
The improving 2YO filly Banglez (gate one) is $3 second elect behind Chris Lang’s Evas Image (gate eight, $2.80).
Utopia has been backed from $2.50 into $2.10 from gate five in the 2YO colts and geldings final.
And Cover Of Darkness is $1.60 to stretch his unbeaten record to nine wins despite a back row draw (gate 10) in the 3YO colts and geldings final.
