By Adam Hamilton
High class former Kiwi colt Son Of Mac kept his unbeaten Aussie record intact with a stunning Melton victory last Friday night.
Trained and driven by Kyle Marshall, Son Of Mac went straight to the front from gate two but really bowled along on his way to a 13.6m win.
The mile rate was a slick 1min54.5sec, which is way above average for his grade. It compares to Captain Ravishing’s 1min51.1sec track record from the Breeders Crown final last November.
“He’s got one more run at Melton before a 10-day freshen-up and then it’s full stream towards the Victoria Derby (October 14),” Marshall said. “We’ve got the Breeders Crown after that.”
Marshall’s remarkable strike rate in Victoria continued when his exciting two-year-old Smoken Ace stretched his unbeaten record to four wins at Ballarat last night.
Marshall has trained eight winners from just 16 starters since making Cranbourne his home base.
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Former Kiwi pacer Prince Of Pleasure scored one of his most important Aussie wins in the $50,000 Group 3 Winter Cup (2536m) at Gloucester Park last Friday night.
The six-year-old roared through the grades for trainer Gary Hall Sr, but has found it harder in free-for-all company.
But the son of Bettors Delight was driven patiently by Gary Hall Jr and showed dazzling speed to beat a proven feature race player, Patronus Star in quick closing splits of 55.8 and 27.5sec.
It was Prince Of Pleasure’s 13th win from just 30 starts and he’s now banked $157,774.
Later in the night, Ryan Bell’s exciting juvenile Waverider made it three wins from as many starts when he cruised home.
On the same card, Magnificent Storm’s trainer Ray Williams snared a feature win with former Kiwi mare Cyclone Charlotte, who thrashed her rivals in the Fillies and Mares Winter Feature.
The daughter of Bettors Delight cleared out to win by almost 16m to make it seven wins and nine placings from just 17 starts.
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Star WA pacer Magnificent Storm is heading for a break and is set to miss the $450,000 Group 1 WA Pacing Cup in November.
The six-year-old ran below his best in three races during the Queensland Constellations, including last Saturday night’s Group 1 Blacks A Fake at Albion Park.
“He wasn’t at his top and he’s got the trip back home, so I favour giving him a break and putting all our focus on the ($1mil) Nullarbor next April,” managing owner Robbie Tomlinson said.
Magnificent Storm, who boasts 32 wins from 53 starts, is booked to be flown back to Perth on August 16.
In contrast, WA’s top mare Wonderful To Fly is heading across to Australia’s east coast to chase feature race glory.
Veteran trainer-driver Shane Young said the best pacer he’s trained in a 40-year career will head to Menangle to try and get a start in the $2.1mil TAB Eureka on September 2.
Her lone chance of doing so comes through the new $50,000 “The Singo” at Menangle on August 19.
The race will be used by colorful entrepreneur John Singleton to fill his slot in the TAB Eureka.
“She’s a fantastic mare and deserves her chance. It’s a once in a lifetime opportunity for me, too,” Young said.
Wonderful To Fly will be chasing her 28th win from just 44 starts when she lines up at Gloucester Park on Friday night. She’s already banked $541,915.
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Popular NSW trainer Lizzie Heath had a night to remember at Menangle last night.
Heath, who has “inherited” many of the KerryAnn Morris horses, snared a treble with three of them – all former Kiwis – last night.
Port Au Prince started the romp by winning the free-for-all in a 1min52.6sec mile.
Then came the rejuvenated Wavethebill, who lifted after looking in strife, to win his third successive race in a 1min51.3sec mile.
Talented trotting mare Funky Monkey then toyed with her rivals to win race seven by a big space in a 1min58.7sec mile rate for 2300m.
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Catch A Wave A Wave is the banner horse for the late owner Richard Matthews, but young trotter Bullion Harry is doing his bit, too.
Trained by Chris Lang and driven by John Caldow, Bullion Harry scored the most important win of his emerging career when did the work and beat a good field in the Group 3 John Slack Trotters Cup (2200m) at Ballarat last night.
Like Catch A Wave, Matthews’ widow, Pauline, continues to race Bullion Harry, who boasts 11 wins and almost $150,000 in earnings.
