Sport

Shepparton’s David Moran takes out his second Cobram Pacing Cup

By Gus Underwood

Jan 10, 2023

Winner winner: Shepparton’s David Moran claimed his second Cobram Pacing Cup at the weekend. Photo by Megan Fisher

Shepparton horseman David Moran claimed his second Jim Phillips Memorial Cobram Pacing Cup in three years when Curly James saluted in the $35,000 feature on Sunday.

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The five-year-old Rocknroll Dance five-year-old was ushered straight to the front over the gruelling 2670m trip and gallantly held off all challengers to win by a head from the Steve Duffy-trained and Ryan Duffy-driven Serg Blanco, who stalked the winner in the run, in a district quinella.

The NSW-trained Fire Fox, who looked the winner at stages in the home straight, finished third with his stablemate and favourite Lightning Dan finishing fifth.

Curly James rated a slick 1:57.4 for the trip, which included a blistering 55 last half.

Moran, who won the cup for two years with his champion Lochinvar Art, said he would probably resist the temptation of running Curly James in Saturday night’s Shepparton Pacing Cup.

‘‘We will give it some thought, but will probably give it a miss because there are plenty of other options for him and I don’t want to rush him,’’ Moran said.

Moran said he had a lot of time for Curly James who was having his first start since April, which made his performance even more meritorious.

He had trialled impressively for his return, although there was a question mark over the long trip first up which enabled him to start a 5/1 chance on the tote.

Moran is confident the pacer will go on to bigger and better things.

‘‘He has only had the 18 starts and he has now won nine of them (with six minor placings), so he is a very nice horse who should keep on improving.’’

The other feature event at the meeting was the $30,000 Central Murray Credit Union Cobram Trotters Cup, which had only the six starters, but produced a thrilling finish.

In a daring mid-race move, driver Shannon O’Sullivan took the favourite Dont Care around the field to the front-running position and he dug deep in the home straight to hold out the gallant David Aiken-trained and Nathan Jack-driven Sheza Pleasure to win by a head with Robbie Royale a distant third.

Trained by Kate Hargreaves, Dont Care rated a brilliant 2:00.8 for the marathon trip, which equalled the track record set by The Boss Man in 2016.

A five-year-old gelding by Used To Me, Dont Care is assembling an impressive resume with his Cobram win the 12th of his 28 starts, with nine minor placings, which have produced just on $170,000 in prizemoney.

A nice-sized crowd attended the cup meeting in warm conditions.