BACCHUS Marsh trainer Alan Tubbs and daughter Amy snared the RSM Bird Cameron Pace for C0 class over 1710m Bray Raceway Ballarat on Thursday with smart Christian Cullen/Lindsey Leigh four-year-old mare Sugarland in a rate of 1-59.4. Despite racing in the open from gate five outside the heavily backed polemarker Jedi Superstar, Sugarland put pay to the leader on straightening and held a margin to the wire in accounting for Putasmileonyadial which trailed the leader and Inthenameofart which followed the pair.
AMY Tubbs herself provided a winner at Ballarat, with speedy nine-year-old Wingspread/Bestaport gelding Macterra Boy taking the Smart Parts Pace for C4 and C5 class over 1710m in a rate of 1-56.6. Taking a concession for Terang’s Glen Craven, Macterra Boy began with his usual speed from gate five to lead and rated a treat, held too many guns at the finish for Land Ruler which flashed home late from near last, with the favourite Manwarra Keentorun (four wide last lap) third after a slow beginning from outside the front row.
TABCORP Park’s Thursday afternoon fixture was a good one for the area, with plenty of local content successful. Rockbank’s Joe Vassallo landed the SEW-Eurodrive Pace for C0 class over 2240m with Stormy Sound, Andy and Kate Gath won the Decron Horse Care three-year-old Pace (Jefferson City), Ken Tippet the Mittys Pace (Holdem Poker), Lance Justice the Bolinda Publishing Pace (Winnies Central) and Frank Scicluna the Schweppes Pace with The Binder.
POPULAR Bacchus Marsh trainer Philip Chircop was victorious with Armbro Operative/Hanover Chic gelding Johnny Armbros in the TAB Sportsbet three-year-old Pace over 1650m at Yarra Valley on Friday. Raced by Phil, wife Cathy and long time family friend John Lorensini, Johnny Armbros with Jodi Quinlan in the cart, led throughout from the pole to win in a breeze from Predominant Lombo and Smiling Force in a 1059.6 mile rate.
THE Bendigo Graduation fixture on 7 February was a good one for the Melton area, with three winners on the eight event card. Four-year-old In The Pocket/Seefeel Believe trained by Adam Kelly and driven by Gavin Lang was a strong victor of the Schweppes Pace for C0 class over 2150m. Lang chalked up a driving double when successful aboard Brent Lilley’s Grinfromeartoear/Posh Jaccka colt Lord Coburn in the Bendigo Bank three-year-old pace over 2150m. Toolern Vale’s John Justice snared the Hygain Pace for R1 class over 1650m with Panorama/Perla Elgee seven-year-old gelding Panorama Pride in a rate of 1-58.1.
MEETINGS for the week: Wednesday – Geelong/Cranbourne, Thursday – Melton/Kilmore, Friday – Maryborough/Melton, Saturday – Ballarat, Sunday – Charlton (Cup), Monday – Horsham, Tuesday – Shepparton.
Horses to follow – Katagoric, Vee Salute, Mallee Trapper, Mad Macca, Majorflex, Jaccka Clive, Hilton Holiday, No Good At Maths, Indi Bapu, Village Peach.
