Classy Avenel-trained pacer Malcolms Rhythm produced a powerful sprint to mow down his rivals in last Friday night’s $35,000 Swan Hill Pacing Cup.
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Racing four and five back in the running line over the challenging 2790m trip, the five-year-old son of Art Major blew his rivals away at the business end for Avenel’s Team Aiken.
The David Aiken-prepared and Josh Aiken-driven pacer pulled out some blistering final sectionals in claiming his 13th career win from 61 starts, which lifted his prize-money earnings over $300,000.
He zoomed home in his last half in 54.2 seconds, which set up a 1.58.5 mile rate in beating the Kasey Kent-trained Major Roll, who put a huge run up for reinsman David Moran, and Silent Major, with the Russell Jack-prepared and Leigh Sutton-driven Perfect Stride finishing fourth.
Third in the recent Kilmore Cup, Malcolms Rhythm’s win was popular with punters, supporting him into $3.40 favouritism.
He was attempting to claim another country cup yesterday in the $35,000 Yarra Valley Pacing Cup.
Malcolms Rhythm’s win was the start of a good weekend for David Aiken, who also scored in the opening race at Melton the following night with Narutac Prince, who was partnered by concession reinsman Bailey McDonough.
McDonough was able to squeeze Narutac Prince in behind the pacesetter Equity Stride and the three-year-old son of Art Major finished too strongly for his rivals once he got into clear running in the home straight, accounting for the Russell Jack-trained Blue Chip Delight and Jilliby Sylvester.
Narutac Prince, who contests a Breeders Crown heat tomorrow night, was having just his 13th career start and has now produced seven wins and three minor placings for Team Aiken.
The Aikens won the Maryborough Trotters Cup the previous week with Aldebaran Crescent.
Shepparton reinswoman Bec Bartley also had a win at the Melton meeting, partnering the Emma Stewart-trained Longfellow to an easy victory.
Kasey sets the tone
While trainer Kasey Kent had to be content with a second-place finish with Major Roll in the Swan Hill Cup she had success earlier in the program with pacer Allset.
The four-year-old Elsu gelding was given the run of the race by Leigh Sutton on the back of the David Moran-trained and driven favourite Lochinvar Chief. When that pacer punctured on the home bend Sutton urged Allset to victory along the sprint lane.
It was Allset’s second win on the Swan Hill track having scored on the circuit on July 27 when prepared by Moran.
While Moran had to be content with a second placing on the Kent-trained Major Roll in the Swan Hill Cup and Lochinvar Chief not living up to expectations, he was still in the winner’s circle twice at the meeting, reining the Emma Stewart pair Captain Rival and Hughman to wins.
Dances finds her groove
Five-year-old Bicardi Lindy mare Dances waltzed past her rivals to notch her third career win at the Maryborough meeting last Friday.
The Donna Castles-trained and driven five-year-old has been crying out to win another race and got the job done courtesy of a good drive.
Castles was able to get Dances into a three deep running line with 500m to run and she finished over her rivals to beat Jack Of The Green and Jordans Mate in a PB 2.00.4 mile rate time for the 1690m trip.
Cody smooth with roughie
Promising concession reinsman Cody Crossland landed his longest priced winner in his short driving career at last week’s Ballarat meeting.
Crossland partnered the Tony and Joe Abela-trained trotter Madena Bay, a 21/1 shot on the tote, to victory with his fifth drive on the Angus Hall seven-year-old.
Crossland stalked pacemaker Tennerson in the run and was able to get off the pegs in time in the home straight to quickly round up that trotter on his way to victory.
It was Madena Bay’s 10th career win and his first for 11 outings, with his previous win recorded at Melton in January.
Bella springs surprise
Four-year-old trotting mare Bella Contessa made a winning return to racing for in-form Bunbartha trainer John Newberry at Monday’s Cobram meeting.
The four-year-old daughter of underrated sire Imperial Count was having her first start since the end of June and saluted courtesy of a copybook drive from the trainer at tote odds of 40/1.
Newberry positioned Bella Contessa in the one-one box seat in the run and made his winning getting off the back straight and the mare held off the fast-finishing Luke Bryant-trained and driven Lexington Queen, with the Paul Railton-prepared and driven Malhana Muscles filling the minor placing after a cosy trip.
Bella Contessa was having just her 18th trip to the races and boasts a record of two wins and six placings in those outings, with Monday’s win returning a PB mile rate of 2.05.6 for the 2170m trip.
The Newberrys own and bred Bella Contessa, who is out of the unraced Yankee Paco mare Sunshine Paco. This is her first foal of racing age.
Bro off to winning start
Murchison trainer Greg Fleming produced Letsgobro for a winning debut in the two-year-old race at Cobram.
Driven by Laura Crossland, the two-year-old son of Four Starzzz Shark was sent out a $1.75 favourite and displayed a lot of grit to hold off a serious challenge in the drive to the finishing post from the Jess Tubbs-trained Bettor Roll On.
Letsgobro had been trialling for a successful race debut with a 1.58.4, including a 58.7 last half, win at the Shepparton trials on October 21.
Letsgobro’s win was the first of a driving double for Crossland, who was also successful with a pacer she prepares, Cheyella.
Much to the delight of punters who supported her into a $1.95 favourite, Cheyella was given the run of the race by Crossland and the filly outsprinted her rivals in the run to the judge.
It was the Heston Blue Chip filly’s fifth career win, all achieved this season, from 22 career starts and her 1.58.4 for the 2170m trip was a PB.
Holstein just misses
Kyabram-trained pacer Prosecco Boy spoilt what would have been a colourful win at the Cobram meeting.
The five-year-old Mark Watson-prepared Betterthancheddar gelding rallied under a lot of urging from concession reinsman Brad Chisolm to nab the Bec Bartley-driven Holstein right on the finishing line.
Holstein is a rare pacer in terms of colour being a skewbald and was having just his eighth race start and his second in this campaign.
Skewbald horses have a combination of white and any other colour — typically brown, chestnut or bay.
By Major Bronksi, Holstein won on debut on his home track at Shepparton in April last year and had finished a close-up fourth when favourite at Echuca on October 20 when resuming in this campaign.
Prosecco Boy had been working up to a win, with top-three finishes at his previous three starts, which enticed punters to support him into a $2.70 favourite.
It was his fifth career win and first for this season from 10 tries.
Rocks rolls to victory
It was only his second win from 46 tries, but pacer Rocks Can Roll certainly made it one to remember when he saluted at the Yarra Valley meeting on Tuesday.
Trained and driven by Stanhope horseman Gary Pekin, the four-year-old Pet Rock gelding got no favours but produced a brave win.
He was trapped three wide early before getting outside the pacemaker Officially Shady and then out-slogging that pacer in a two-horse war to the finishing line.
Rocks Can Roll has been a consistent place-getter and money earner, with seven seconds and 10 thirds on his resume.
No doubt his owner and breeder, Pekin stable stalwart Phil Bowland, got a big kick out of the win, as Rocks Can Roll is out of his winning Lombo Mandingo mare, Bowland Borg.
Godden duo back in Victoria
Two interesting runners at the St Arnaud Cup meeting at Melton tomorrow night are the Col Godden-trained pair Ajay Breezy Rose and Sports Mental.
The Nanneella horseman has been campaigning the pair in Queensland during an extended stay there in recent months due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The former Mark Thompson-prepared Ajay Breezy Rose clocked up three wins and several top three finishes in races at Albion Park and Redcliffe while Sports Mental won two races and was placed six times at meetings on those tracks.
Locals keen to wear Crown
There is a healthy line-up of district-trained pacers contesting heats of the Breeders Crown series tonight at Bendigo and Maryborough on Sunday.
At Bendigo Craig Turnbull will be represented by Heritage Lady and Abettasecret in the three-year-old fillies’ heats along with the Neville Pangrazio with Cashflow Cassie.
In the heats for colts and geldings, David Aiken will line up three chances — Sharmey, One Big Shew and Narutac Prince — Laura Crossland will pin her hopes on Dessie Dee while Juanita Breen (Therockgod) and Kasey Kent (Bide Our Time) will also be trying to have a shot at the big money on offer in the finals of the series.
Russell Jack has a busy day at Maryborough in the two-year-old pacers’ heat.
He has Just Hope, Tenessea Waltz and Captain Queen contesting the fillies’ heats and Mos London, It’s a Sweet Life and Dance With Somebody seeking glory in the heats for the colts and geldings.
Kasey Kent will be represented by Beach Memories and Mick Blackmore No Neigh Philtra in the colts and geldings’ heats.
Meetings coming up
Today: Bendigo (n)
Saturday: Melton (n)
Sunday: Maryborough (d)
Monday: Cobram (d)
Tuesday: Terang (n)
Wednesday: Geelong (n)
Thursday: Maryborough (d), Echuca (n)
Friday: Mildura (d), Melton (n)
Sports reporter