By Adam Hamilton
VICTORIA Cup winner Lochinvar Art picked-up where he left off at Melton last Saturday night.
Having his first run for five weeks and “in need of the hitout” according to trainer-driver David Moran, Lochinvar Art still totally toyed with a handy field in the Preux Chevalier free-for-all.
He came around the field early from the back to sit parked outside former NZ Cup winner Cruz Bromac, but had him beaten before the home turn.
Moran really just nursed Lochinvar Art in the run home to win by 6.3m over the emerging Wolf Stride with Sicario third and Cruz Bromac fourth.
The mile rate was 1min55sec, but Lochinvar Art blazed home in 54 flat and 26.7sec.
“He did that easier than I thought he would because it’ll really bring him for next week,” Moran said. “It’s the best he’s ever felt winning first-up from a break.”
Lochinvar Art backs-up next week, either in Friday night’s $60,000 Group 2 Breeders Crown Graduate free-for-all at Melton or the $50,000 Group 2 4YO Crown final on Saturday night. Either target should be another walk in the park.
Beyond that, Moran will make a final decision a possible Queensland trip, which is looking less and less likely by the day.
“I’m leaning more and more towards staying home, going for the Vicbred 4YO series and then those Country Cups in January before the Hunter Cup,” Moran said.
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CHICAGO Bull and Shockwave will be on the quick back-up when they headline the field for Friday night’s $300,000 Group 1 Fremantle Cup at Gloucester Park.
They were due to clash at Gloucester Park last Friday night, but the meeting was postponed just minutes before their race was scheduled because of heavy rain.
The race was moved to yesterday and they eventually clashed in the Pat Cranley Memorial where Chicago Bull made the most of a better draw again to stretch his sequence of wins over Shockwave to four races.
But, Chicago Bull has drawn better and dictated all four of those races.
Shockwave, who beat Chicago Bull when he led first-up, has run second to him at their four clashes since.
There’s nothing between them and they look the standout players in the Fremantle Cup and the $450,000 Group 1 WA Pacing Cup on December 4.
Team Bond’s Vampiro and, to a lesser extent, Mighty Conqueror look the other notable runners.
It’ll be interesting to see if trainer Ross Olivieri throws exciting former Victorian Perfect Major into the big league after he sat parked and ran a ripper third to Chicago Bull yesterday at his first free-for-all attempt.
Classy former Kiwi mare Wainui Creek is getting better with every run for Team Bond in WA.
She beat most of WA’s best mares to win the Group 2 Norms Daughter in a 1min56.4sec mile rate for 2130m at Gloucester Park yesterday when she came out of a one-one trail to rundown stablemate Our Alfie Romeo.
Wainui Creek’s past two wins have her nominal favourite for the state’s biggest mares’ race, the Group 1 WA Mares’ Classic at Gloucester Park on Friday week.
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A BLAZING opening half cost veteran star Bling It On his 50th win at his 100th start.
The Victoria and Hunter Cup winner scorched a 53.5sec opening half to eventually find the lead, had to be vulnerable and actually fought on well for a close third to Fouroeight.
Bling It On worked from the outside draw in a 26.5sec first quarter then had to run a 27 flat second split to wrest the lead from outsider Golden Year.
They ran home in 28.9 and 28.5sec for a 1min50.9sec mile and Mat Rue’s Fouroright finished too strongly for Mafuta Vautin with Bling It On just 3.4m from the winner in third spot.
Bling It On remains on target for a Queensland raid later this month with the Group 1 Blacks A Fake on December 12 the major target.
McCarthy and trainer Craig Cross teamed later on the Menangle card for yet another win with star mare Bettor Enforce.
The rising eight-year-old, fresh back from a terrific second in the Group 1 Queen Of The Pacific at Melton, worked to the front and posted her 12th win from 24 runs this season in a 1min52.1sec mile, capped by a 53.9sec last half.
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STAR Kiwi pacer One Change’s unbeaten Queensland romp came to an end last Saturday night.
But the three-year-old certainly lost no admirers with a fantastic second to recent Kiwi import L L Cool J, who had a lovely run behind the leader while One Change did all the work.
L L Cool J, who won six of his 19 NZ runs, has looked good winning both starts for trainer-driver Nathan Dawson.
They ran a slick 1min52sec mile rate for 1660m and One Change was only beaten 1.3m.
It was his first defeat in six runs for Vicki Rasmussen.
It’s unlikely to change plans for him to tackle fast-class in coming weeks as a test before a possible tilt at the Group 1 Blacks A Fake on December 12.
Another ex-All Stars pacers Turn It Up is one of the early favourites for the Blacks A Fake.
He was due to run at Albion Park last Saturday night, but the race was scrapped with a lack of acceptors.
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THE best of Dance Craze is something special.
Trainer Anton Golino has nursed her through her challenges along the way, but she is still the best trotter in Australia at her best.
And she showed it again, albeit thanks to a lovely run and superb Jason Lee drive, to win the Group 2 Lenin free-for-all in a blistering 1min56.4sec mile rate for 2240m at Melton on Saturday night.
Dance Craze began well, but not quick enough to hold-out her main rival Red Hot Tooth, but it turned out sitting behind her was the perfect scenario.
Red Hot Tooth overraced a tad in front, setting-up the slick time, and Dance Craze was simply too slick along the sprint lane at the finish to beat her by 1.5m.
The sustained speed up front made it too hard for those back in the field like the classy Wobelee and McLovin, who finished seventh and eighth respectively.