By Adam Hamilton
ON any normal night, the Miracle Mile returning from a spell with a sparkling win would be the headline.
But King Of Swing, for all his brilliance, was “Ride High-ed” last night and left to play a distant second fiddle.
Ride High’s mind-blowing 1min49sec win over 1650m when parked at Bendigo was still trending on Aussie twitter while King Of Swing made it five wins (and second) from his six starts since being sent across from WA to Craig Cross and Luke McCarthy in NSW.
McCarthy declared him primed pre-race and he looked it, winning without being asked for a lot and pacing a 1min49.8sec mile, capped by closing splits of 53.8 and 26.2sec.
“He did that really well. He’s not the sort of horse who runs away from them, but he felt terrific,” McCarthy said.
“It’s great to have him back and he’ll go around again at Menangle in two weeks.”
King Of Swing capped yet another massive night for Craig Cross and McCarthy with four wins, the others being Ian Dobson’s Wrangler, Seeuinnashville and Zahven Banner,
Blake Fitzpatrick also had a driving double on the night, including talented former Kiwi pacer Mach Da Vinci, who won his first run for new trainer Peter Hanson in a 1min52.4sec mile.
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COMEBACK superstar Chicago Bull won his 52nd race at Gloucester Park last Friday night.
It continued his remarkable comeback, which has so seen him race 14 times since just April 17 for nine wins, four seconds and a third.
In contrast to his past two epic winning performances, last Friday was a stroll in the park for Chicago Bull.
Classes above his rivals, Gary Hall Sr allowed him to balance-up early from a wide draw then whiz around the field to take the lead and coast to a 5.8m win in a 1min53.7sec mile rate for 1730m.
“We knew he’d need a lot of racing to get super fit again and that’s how it’s played out. It seems like he’s had a lot racing, but he’s thriving on it. He’s getting better,” Hall Jr said.
Life will get a lot harder in coming weeks with the likes of Shockwave, Mighty Conqueror and Vampiro are shaping-up to return to racing.
But “Bully” genuinely seems back to something like his very best pre-injury form and will be awfully hard to beat in anything.
Trainer Gary Hall Sr said Hunter Cup and Miracle Mile raids next year were on the cards if Chicago Bull continued his great form through the Fremantle and WA Cups at the end of this year.
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IT was great to see the Justice clan dominating the Melton card last Friday night.
John Justice, recently back from a stint on the sidelines, trained a drove a treble with Pippo Nien, Justice Served and promising trotter Hatchback.
And Lance Justice trained and drove warhorse Love Ina Chevy to win the fast-class race. He’s the pacer who narrowly cheated death after a desperate battle following a snake bite a few years back.
He’s gone on to win 26 races now and close to $300,000.
The other star of the night was promising junior driver Kyal Costello, who snared his first double with Radical Major and Charisma King, then went a step further making it a treble with Delightful Jazz in race six.
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QUEENSLAND’S Winter Carnival is over, but the fun continues for NSW trainer Craig Cross and his revitalised speedster Cruz.
The six-year-old made it three wins from as many runs during his Albion Park raid when he blazed a 1min50.8sec mile rate for 1660m in a free-for-all last night.
It was just 0.4sec outside the track record Cruz himself shares with former champion pacer Im Themightyquinn at 1min50.4sec.
Chris Geary took the reins last night and also drove Cross’ other winner on the night, former Kiwi gelding Shanway.
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TALENTED former Kiwi trotter C K Spur is going to have some fun in Australia.
The son of Pegasus Spur cruised to his second win from just three Aussie runs (he ran a terrific second in the other) at Bendigo last night.
The only query was stepping away from barrier one at stand, which he did superbly and led throughout to win as he liked by 9.1m in a 2min4.1sec mile for the 2650m stand.
His cause was helped when the other class runner eight wins from 12 starts, Pink Galahs, galloped at the start and lost her winning hope. She ran on well for third.
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IT was great to see one of Australia’s better three-year-olds Youaremy Sunshine back and winning easily at Bendigo last night.
The Ballarat pacer looked top shelf around Victoria Derby time and ran a slashing fourth in the final before being sent to Craig Cross for a tilt at the NSW Derby, but never looking happy.
Trainer-driver Damien Burns spelled him after his disappointing stint with Cross and he returned in sparkling style last night, winning by 8.2m in a 1min55.1sec for 2150m.
He’s won seven of 19 starts and could be a serious Breeders Crown and Vicbred 3YO player if he builds as expected on last night’s return.
