The five-year-old David Moran-trained stallion led from pillar to post from barrier one in the 2670m marathon, leaving his rivals legless at the top of the home straight as he powered away from them in track record equalling mile rate time trip of 1:56.1.The David Aiken-trained pair Malcolms Rhythm and Sirletic filled the minor placings 15.7m and 17.8m respectively from the winner.
NSW visitor Our Uncle Sam finished fourth.
It was the Modern Art five-year-old's 26th win — there have also been 19 minor placings — from 48 starts with the $34,200 first prizemoney boosting his earnings to more than $1.2 million.
Moran said there had been discussions with the pacer’s owner Kevin Gordon about taking the horse to America to race, but just when would depend on the COVID-19 situation.
‘‘But we are definitely looking at it,’’ Moran said.
A good crowd, including a cheer squad consisting of family and friends and drinkers and diners from Shepparton’s Australia (Aussie) Hotel — Moran’s favourite pub — were trackside to noisily cheer Lochinvar Art home.
Moran said he hadn’t driven Lochinvar Art out in the concluding stages which had cost him claiming the track record outright for the 2690m trip, but that was the least of his worries.
“It’s extra special to win your home cup with all your family and friends there,’’ Moran said.
The Ballarat Cup this Saturday night and the Hunter Cup are Lochinvar Art’s immediate missions.
Lochinvar Art wasn’t the only impressive winner Moran produced at the meeting.
He also drove the exciting Patsbeachstorm to a runaway win in the Graham Head Memorial Three-Year-Old Pace.
It was the pacer’s first outing since March 2020 and only his fourth start.
In a similar drive as he performed on Lochinvar Art, Moran took the Somebeachsomewhere gelding straight to the front from a favourable draw.
With a 55.6 last half he ran away from his rivals at the business end to beat the runner-up Stylish Joe by more than 14m with the locally-trained Vintage Blu a distance third.
Patsbeachstorm rated a slick 1:55.6 in the impressive victory which hinted bigger spoils are at his beckoning.
Top trainer Andy Gath and his reinswoman wife Kate also landed doubles at the meeting, claiming both trotting events on the card.
They scored first with Havehorsewilltravel, coming off a win in the Cobram Trotters Cup the previous Sunday and also took The George Gath Group Three feature with rejuvenated topliner McLovin.
Both trotters completed four successive wins with their victories with former Kiwi Havehorsewilltravel still yet to taste defeat in Australia.
9°C