Toolern Vale’s John Justice was successful with exciting Falcon Seelster/Sabrina Bromac colt Shakti Bromac in the Choice Hotels three-year-old Pace over 2100 metres at Geelong on Tuesday 19 February.
Driven once again by Greg Sugars, Shakti Bromac led throughout from gate five, scoring unextended from Glenferrie College which raced outside him for the final circuit and Reign Of Pain one/one last lap in a rate of 2-00.7.
Parwan’s Jodi Quinlan cracked it for another victory with ultra-consistent Modern Art/Sorbonne five-year-old gelding Our Horizon at Geelong, taking out the Comfort Inn Bay City Pace for C1 class over 1609 metres.
Taking a concession for Zac Phillips, Our Horizon led throughout from the pole, coasting to the wire 4.1 metres in advance of Foldem off a three wide trail last lap from mid-field, with Bohemian Lombo coming from last to finish third.
Bred and raced by mother Cheryl, Our Horizon, a winner of six races from 34 outings, returned a mile rate of 2-01.1.
At Cranbourne on Wednesday Hopetoun Park pair Ross and Greg Sugars snared the Cranbourne Trainers Bonanza Pace for C5 to C8 class over 2080 metres with speedy In The Pocket/Smooth Leyenda eight-year-old gelding Pocket Legend much to the delight of owner Arthur Fullwood from nearby Narre Warren.
Leading without exhausting any energy from the pole, Pocket Legend defied all challengers in defeating Tere T, which trailed using the sprint lane to get within a neck at the finish, with Ohoka Mach (three back the markers) third. The mile rate 1-59.7.
The Coimadai duo of Adam Kelly (trainer) and Gavin Lang (driver) were successful with five-year-old Falcon Seelster/Abba Bromac mare Ashira Bromac in the Choice Hotels 132400 Pace for C2 class over 1609 metres.
Despite racing in the open from gate four, Ashira Bromac outstayed her rivals to win well in a rate of 2-00 even over the pacemaker Ymbro Toto and Go El Zhar (one/one).
The feature event of the day at the Birchip HRC fixture held at Charlton on Thursday – the $3000 Doyle’s IGA & Sharps Bakery Mallee Bull Pacing Cup saw victory go the way of Kiwi bred five-year-old Bettors Delight/Kurahaupo Dream gelding Kurahaupo Quin in a rate of 1-57.6.
Trained by Parwan’s Vince Albanese, Kurahaupo Quin with Chris Alford in the sulky led throughout to score by 1.9 metres from Meet Me In Seattle (one/one) and Sky Salute which had every chance trailing the winner.
It was Kurahaupo Quin’s sixth victory in 39 race appearances.
What a super night Friday’s Tabcorp Park meeting was for the Melton/Bacchus Marsh area with six winners coming from the district including a training double to Adam Kelly and Alan Tubbs.
Those to score were: Guns N Roses & Gamblers Rustler (Adam Kelly & Gavin Lang), Lierre Noir & Cut For An Ace (Alan & Amy Tubbs), Because I Can (Lance Justice & Gavin Lang) and Orlandos Dream (Gary & Craig Hoban).
Gavin Lang also piloted Whata Avenue to victory for Longlea trainer John McDermott.
Meetings for the week: Wednesday – Yarra Valley/Shepparton, Thursday – Maryborough/Kilmore, Friday – Melton, Saturday – Geelong, Sunday – Charlton (Cup)/Inter Dominion Grand Final @ Menangle, Monday – Cobram, Tuesday – Cranbourne.
Horses to follow – Dinant, Braeview Bomber, Doomed, Smokin Fields, Bout Time, Russell Galleon, Fon Design, Jack Castleton.