Sport

Sutton reigns supreme in Cobram Pacing Cup

By Gus Underwood

Jan 11, 2022

Fun day of racing: The Cobram Harness Racing Club was brimming with life on Sunday. Photo by Contributed

Shepparton reinsman Leigh Sutton produced a dashing drive to score an emphatic $35,000 Jim Phillips Memorial Cobram Pacing Cup win on Boots Electric on Sunday.

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Sutton was able to spear the Russell Jack-trained Somebeachsomewhere five-year-old gelding from a second row draw to the front-running position within 50m of the start of the 2678m marathon and was never in danger of defeat after that.

The NSW visitor Sporty Dancer finished the race off nicely after a cosy run to finish second, but more than 14m from the winner, while Hashtag got the verdict in a three-way battle for third place along with a brave Boy From Bondi and Would You Mind.

It was a top training feat as Boots Electric had not raced since the start of November and had not won in his other six outings for Jack before that.

Jack said he was still ‘‘working out’’ Boots Electric, but said the pacer had a lot of natural ability.

Punters thought that too and sent him out a $2.30 favourite despite a two-month break.

Jack on Monday was still pondering whether to tackle the Shepparton Gold Cup this Saturday, noting it was a significant jump up in class from the Cobram assignment.

Superstar Shepparton pacer Lochinvar Art has not fared well for his return to racing, coming up with the outside front row barrier draw in Saturday night’s Group Two Shepparton Gold Cup.

The David Moran-trained pacer is defending the cup, but has not raced for almost a year after being sidelined with injury.

But he made an encouraging return to the racetrack with a solid trial last week at Melton.

According to Moran his stable star has done plenty of preparatory work for his much-anticipated comeback appearance in front of what will be an adoring home crowd.

Lochinvar Art was Australia’s best pacer before being sidelined and has already banked more than $1 million in prizemoney.

He is one of three Shepparton-trained pacers who will contest the $60,000 feature.

The Steve O’Donoghue-Bec Bartley team will line up veteran campaigner San Carlo and Western Sonador from barriers six and three respectively.

Three NSW-trained pacers Mach Da Vinci, Our Uncle Sam and last Saturday night’s impressive Bendigo Cup winner Spirit Of St Louis are also in the field of eight.

The other feature on Saturday night, the Derby Royale Trotters Free-For-All, has drawn a strong field including the Andy Gath-trained speedster Majestuoso.