By Adam Hamilton
This latest All Stars’ raid on Victoria has certainly been a success.
Exciting three-year-old filly High Energy made it two-from-two on the trip (and eight from nine in her career) for Purdon Racing when she easily beat older rivals at Melton last Friday night.
Greg Sugars took the daughter of Father Patrick straight to the front from gate three and won as he liked.
And talented three-year-old The Real Sherlock, who won a heat of the Vicbred series, won his way through the final with a solid third in a strong semi-final at Melton last night.
There was more Kiwi flavour in the Vicbred series with the NZ-owned Amore Vita brilliantly winning her semi-final.
While classy three-year-old filly Joyful, part-owned by Cran Dalgety, flew home to easily win her semi-final.
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There is little doubt top young WA pacer Never Ending is a bit special.
And it was there for all to see with a breathtaking win in last Friday night’s $100,000 Westbred 3YO final when he obliterated his rivals and smashed the clock to post his 10th win from just 11 starts for trainer Justin Prentice.
Champion driver Gary Hall Jr, who has driven so many greats, was lavish in his praise.
“Amazing, really. I said to one of the owners out there, it takes a bit to excite me these days but that was probably as big a thrill as I’ve had sitting behind one for a long time,” he said.
“He’s explosive when you ask him, he’s that quick point-to-point. The sort of speed you don’t see very often.
“He coasted to the line and still had the plugs in. I didn’t do anything other than shake a rein at him.”
Never Ending, by Sweet Lou out of Endless Journey, came three-wide without cover for the last 1200m as part of a last mile in 1min53.4sec.
Connections are already talking about next year’s TAB Eureka.
Hall Jr also won the fillies’ final aboard August Moon, a Luke Edwards-trained daughter of Captaintreacherous, who boasts eight wins from her past nine starts.
Hall Jr finished with five wins from 10 races on the night.
The free-for-all saw former WA Cup winner Wildwest lead throughout and return to winning form for driver Deni Roberts and trainer Gary Hall Sr.
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Former Kiwi trotting mare One Over All lost the feature trot on protest at Melton last Friday night.
The Jess Tubbs-trained mare just held-off former stablemate, Visionary, to win by a whisker, but stewards deemed she shifted in a cost the runner-up winning.
Visionary won the Vicbred 3YO final for Tubbs last New Year’s Eve before the lease expired and she returned to Yabby Dams’ head trainer, Anton Golino.
Classy former Kiwi Mufasa Metro sat parked and ran a solid third.
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Dual Group 1 winner Better Eclipse showed he was on target for next month’s Victoria Cup with a narrow but terrific Group 2 VHRC Caduceus Classic win at Melton last Friday night.
Just six days after running fifth to Rock N Roll Doo in the Group 1 Len Smith Mile at Menangle, Better Eclipse sat parked outside rejuvenated veteran Bulletproof Boy and snatched a nose victory.
It was a big effort to do the work in a 1min53.5sec mile rate and zip home in 55.4 and 27.6sec.
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As Jason Grimson awaits the outcome of his appeal against a 12-month disqualification, he looks to have unearthed another potential feature race player.
The talented but injury plagued former Kiwi gelding Hi Manameisjeff cruised home to make it two wins from as many starts for Grimson at Menangle last night.
The son of Art Major has always shown promise, but has been electric in the two runs for Grimson.
He led throughout in a 1min48.9sec mile on August 26, then scorched 1min53.2sec for 2300m last night.
It was the second leg of a winning double for Grimson, who won the opening race at Menangle with another former Kiwi gelding, Bubba Scrub. Both were driven by Cam Hart.
On the same card, talented former Kiwi trotting mare Funky Monkey continued her resurgence with an impressive win from a 30m handicap in the final event.
She’s won five of her past seven starts and been placed in the other two.
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A move to Queensland saw talented former Kiwi trotter Majestic Lavros return to winning form last night.
It was the eight-year-old’s first win since scoring at Addington on October 14, last year and the 10th win of his 49-start career.
Majestic Lavros was having his first run for trainer Tayla Gillespie and driver Matt Elkins used gate three to lead throughout in a 1min56.8sec mile rate for 1660m.
It was an ex-Kiwi trifecta with Zealous Spur second and Funny Face third.
