VETERAN Kiwi trotting star Majestic Man overcame a huge betting drift to win a second Dullard Cup at Melton last night.
The Phil Williamson-trained star drifted from $2.70 out to $8, but won an early speed burn to find the lead and never really looked in danger.
“Dad’s been looking after him and said he was great going into it,” driver Brad Williamson said.
“He felt terrific in front and it’s a great start to another trip over here.
“He’ll go to the Great Southern Star now (next Friday) night and then we’ll decide what happens after that.”
It was a better win than it looked when you consider the very slick 43.3sec lead time, albeit Williamson was able to steady through a 62sec middle half.
Majestic Man dashed home in 57.6 and 28.7sec to beat star mare Queen Elida by 2.8m.
Inter Dominion hero Just Believe was also amongst the beaten brigade.
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LAST year’s runner-up Spirit Of St Louis looks right back on target for this year’s race.
He’s clearly thrived with a break after a disappointing Inter Dominion campaign and won both runs back from his let-up.
Driven superbly by Jack Callaghan to land the one-one, Spirit Of St Louis zoomed to the front soon after straightening for home and won comfortably in a 1min53.5sec mile rate for 2300m, closing-off in 53.7 and 27.2sec.
“He’s right back where we want him,” co-trainer Luke McCarthy said.
Spirit Of St Louis and Expensive Ego will be Team McCarthy’s Hunter Cup runners.
The biggest talking point of last night’s race was Bondi Lockdown, who roared home from last to finish second at his first run for Team McCarthy.
It was a monstrous run as he heads towards the Miracle Mile, via the Newcastle Mile.
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JACK Trainor won the feature mares’ race at Menangle last night, but just not with the mare many expected.
Glamour Kiwi mare Stylish Memphis was favourite and worked to the front with Trainor aboard, but stablemate and former Kiwi Braeview Kelly rocketed home from well back to win pulling away by 1.7m in a 1min50sec flat mile.
Both mares were terrific as they build towards the Group 1 Queen Elizabeth II, a race Stylish Memphis has won the past two years.
It was a huge race for Trainor who also snared the trifecta with B K Swy grabbing third spot.
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RAMPAGING trainer Jason Grimson will unleash his latest exciting Kiwi import against buzz pacer Captain Ravishing in the $100,000 4YO Bonanza at Melton next Saturday night.
Invitation Only, a winner of three of his past four starts for Cran Dalgety, was sent to Grimson after finishing fifth at Roxburgh on January 4.
The son of Bettors Delight looked sharp winning a Cranbourne 2080m trial last Thursday where he clocked a 1min57.5sec mile rate, but zipped home in a slick 56.7sec last half with Grimson in the sulky.
Grimson heading to Bonanza is crucial with many rivals trainers staying away from the feature because of Captain Ravishing’s intimidating form and profile.
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IT is great to see former topliner Hurricane Harley home and firing, but don’t expect to see him in the Hunter Cup next week.
Having his second run back Emma Stewart and Clayton Tonkin after a long stint in WA, it looked like the Hurricane Harley of old winning the Group 3 Casey Classic (2240m) at Melton last night.
Hurricane Harley cruised through to lead from the pole, dictated early and ripped home in a blistering last 1200m.
Mark Pitt blazed him through closing splits of 28.5, 27 flat and 26.7sec.
That’s his last 1200m in 1min22.2sec and half in 53.7sec.
Stewart and Tonkin are leaning towards running in next week’s quirky $50,000 Mercury80 final over 1200m with Hurricane Harley.
“Beyond next week, we’re looking towards the Miracle Mile. He should be peaking by then,” part-owner Bill Anderson said.
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THE Miracle Mile looms as a target for exciting former Kiwi pacer Betterzippit.
The latest buzz pacer in Jason Grimson’s barn could not have been more impressive making it two wins from as many Aussie runs at Melton last night.
Despite blazing through a 43.1sec lead time for 2240m, Betterzippit just kept rolling and won as he liked by 3.8m in a brisk 1min53.3sec.
Betterzippit is nominated for the Hunter Cup, but won’t make the cut with so much depth in next week’s race.
Greg Sugars took the reins last night with Grimson’s stable driver, Cam Hart, opting to drive at Menangle last night.
“That was a big win. He definitely had to earn it tonight, but he just kept giving for me,” Sugars said.
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FORMER superstar Aussie pacer Lochinvar Art will have his first US race next weekend.
Trainer Shane Tritton said the Victoria and Hunter Cup winner has thrived since his qualifying trial win at The Meadowlands a week ago.
“He’s come through it extremely,” he said. “We plan to enter him next weekend at The Meadowlands for his first run.”
Lochinvar Art had a small bleed last September and owner Kevin Gordon opted to send him to Shane and Lauren Tritton just north of New York to continue his racing career.
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FORMER Kiwi pacer Outlaw Man added to his terrific record since joining Team Gath with another Melton win last night.
The five-year-old son of Sweet Lou led easily from gate two and posted his sixth win from just seven starts since moving to Australia.
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THE buzz around Queensland youngster Sure Thing Captain continues to grow.
The high-priced Nutrien Melbourne sales purchase made it three wins (and a second) from just four starts when he led throughout in the $50,000 Simpson Memorial in a 1min52.1sec mile at Menangle last night.
Trainer Shannon Price has the son of Captaintreacherous in Sydney for the upcoming NSW Derby.
Runner-up Rokokoko, a former WA pacer, ran a terrific race at his first start for Team McCarthy. He did work from a wide draw, sat parked and fought on bravely for second.
