Shepparton horseman David Moran is not confident his superstar pacer Lochinvar Art will get the chance to be included in the $1 million Miracle Mile field.
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A poisoned hoof, which caused his withdrawal from last week’s Newcastle Mile had been slow healing this week and Moran said yesterday morning he was unlikely to undertake a work out between races at tomorrow night’s Menangle meeting to justify being included in the Miracle Mile field tomorrow night week.
While Lochinvar Art’s bid to be included in the Miracle Mile field has been the focus in the lead up to tomorrow night’s Menangle meeting, Shepparton’s other Miracle Mile aspirant Western Sonador has been set a tough task to qualify.
He has drawn barrier 10 — the outside of the front row — in the 1609m dash and is going to need a lot going his way to qualify.
He was slow out in the Newcastle Mile last Friday night, but still ran some sensational final sections to finish second.
But the opposition tomorrow night is a lot tougher and his trainer Steve O’Donoghue believes he is still a year away at least to be at or near his best.
Apart from Western Sonador’s bid to qualify for the Miracle Mile and the drama surrounding Lochinvar Art’s bid to gain inclusion, Moran will also have the exciting three-year-old Patsbeachstorm contesting a heat of the NSW Pacers Derby.
Patsbeachstorm destroyed a field of older rivals over a long trip at the Newcastle Cup meeting in preparation for tomorrow night’s assignment where he has come up with a poleline draw in his heat.
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Classy pacer Honolua Bay obliterated the track record for the distance in winning the Neville and Patsy Clarke Memorial Pace last Saturday night at Terang.
The David Aiken-trained and Josh Aiken-driven four-year-old son of Somebeachsomewhere zipped over the 1680m trip in blistering 1:52.6 mile rate time, clipping one second off the record previously held jointly by Im Sir Blake last year and Tam Major in 2019.
Honolua Bay jumped straight to the front from barrier two and ran his rivals ragged in claiming his seventh win from 11 starts.
The Aikens also produced the runner-up Malcolms Image in the Terang Pacing Cup won by emerging star Wolf Stride.
It is the fourth time from his past five starts the five-year-old has been runner-up, including the Shepparton and Cobram gold cups and the Casey Classic.
It was a fruitful couple of days for Team Aiken which also produced Electric Eye for an impressive win at Cobram.
Having his 14th trip to the races the three-year-old Bettors Delight colt took on the older horses and proved too good.
It also completed successive wins as he had won at his previous start at Shepparton on February 10.
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Wahring horseman Danny Thackeray produced pacer Encryption for a win at nice odds at Cobram.
Driven by Leigh Sutton the four-year-old Rock N Roll Heaven gelding prevailed by a half-head from the Cameron Maggs-trained and driven Miskontiki and the Peter Fidge-trained and driven Wandanas Advice.
It completed back-to-back wins for Encryption who had scored his maiden win at Albury on February 12 at his sixth start when also driven by Sutton.
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Echuca trots trainer Mick McMahon has found another talented pacer in Tino Tere Maori who saluted in a three-year-old race at Cobram.
The three-year-old Auckland Reactor gelding was having his sixth trip to the races, but had displayed his ability when placed in his previous three runs.
Driver James Herbertson worked Tino Tere Maori to the front early and he comfortably held off the Laura Crossland-trained and driven Codys Colt and the Steve Duffy-trained Pensini in the drive to the wire.
A $2.40 favourite Tino Tere Maori rated 1:57.1 for the 1670m trip, zipping home in 57.4.
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Veteran Bunbartha trainer Bryan Johnstone revived memories of a top racehorse when Justcallmeaza opened his winning account at Cobram.
Driven by Ryan Duffy the four-year-old gelding led all the way to beat the Geoff Martin-trained Drifting and Lethal Lover in a commanding display.
Justcallmeaza is by the former topline pacer Bitobliss, a winner of 24 races and more than $470,000 in prizemoney for his Congupna trainer Scott Stewart a few years ago.
It is the third winner by Bitobliss, but he has had a limited stud career.
Justcallmegaza had run second at his previous two starts at Shepparton and Swan Hill and on the strength of those performances started an odds-on favourite.
Bred by Sharon Britten, Justcallmeaza is raced by Britten, her mother Lorraine Duffy and the trainer.
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Five-year-old mare Lottie Moon continued her winning ways for trainer-driver Juanita Breen at Cobram.
Lottie Moon made it five wins from nine starts since crossing the Tasman to join the Breen stable at Avenel.
In a crowded finish Breen was able to get a late split and drive Lottie Moon through it to beat the NSW visitor and roughie Are Doubleyou and Villacci.
It completed successive wins for the daughter of Bettors Delight, having won her previous start at Shepparton on February 10.
Lottie Moon had one win — in her final appearance in New Zealand in August of last year — before switching to the Breen stable where she proceeded to win at her first three starts on Victorian tracks.
The mare is building an impressive record with six wins and 10 minor placings from 28 starts.
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Shepparton trainer Darryn Rowney’s heart is in his mouth every time the trotter he trains Cmon Carl Lee steps out to race.
In most cases it’s still there at the end of the race, but occasionally it isn’t . . . mostly when Cmon Carl Lee decides to trot all the way as she did at Cobram.
There were a few anxious moments at the start with a slow getaway, but once she found her rhythm and got into a forward position she was always going to be hard to beat.
With her driver Damian Wilson sitting quietly Cmon Carl Lee not only rounded up her rivals in the concluding stages, but ran away from them.
At the finishing line she had nearly 27m to spare over the runner-up Mystic Chip with the favourite Starlight Red filling the minor placing.
Cmon Carl Lee obviously likes the Cobram track as she scored there early in December.
It was interesting to note that the winner and third placegetter are by the now defunct Sundon stallion Red Samurai.
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Shepparton-trained Franke returned to the winners’ list for Steve Boyington at Cobram.
The four-year-old son of Pet Rock had been building up to the win and finished strongly to account for the Craig Turnbull-trained No Nay Never and Hard Rock Shannon.
It was Frankie’s fourth win with his 27 starts also producing 10 minor placings, so he is proving a consistent earner for connections.
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Tongala-trained pacer Argy Bargy has been racing for only a little more than a year, but has chalked up two wins and 10 placings from his 30 starts in that time.
The second of those wins came at Cobram when the Gary Merkel-prepared and Cameron Maggs-driven pacer scored a comfortable win over the Donna Castles-trained and Doc Wilson-driven Sasscilian and Scully.
Argy Bargy hasn’t been the most tractable pacer to drive, but his manners are improving with every outing and he has done well for Maggs, who guided him to three top four finishes from his previous four starts before stepping out at Cobram.
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Tarura’s Craig Turnbull was one of nine trainers from the northern Victoria area to produce a winner on the 10-race program at Cobram.
Turnbull struck early in the program with Life Gets Better who was driven to victory by Brad Chisholm.
Life Gets Better was forced to race outside the second favourite over the 1670m trip and got the better of that pacer in the drive to the finishing line.
It was Life Gets Better's, a four-year-old by Betterthancheddar, first win at his 19th try.
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Avenel trainers had a good night at this week’s Kilmore meeting.
David Aiken, Wayne Potter and Col Duncan produced winners.
Aiken drove three-year-old Sharmey to his fifth win in his past six starts.
The Rock N Roll Heaven gelding had won four successive races at Hobart before returning to the Aiken stables and finished fourth at Shepparton prior to his Kilmore win, the fifth from 12 starts.
Potter continued his recent run of success scoring with Standbyme, an Art Major four-year-old, while Duncan produced A Rocknroll Dance three-year-old filly, Lopez, for a win at her second start.
Despite being a 20/1 shot Lopez, driven by Chris Alford, was most impressive with a 1:56.1 mile rate which included a 56.7 last half.
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Shepparton trainer Laura Crossland landed three-year-old trotter Little Tedey a strong winner at this week’s Maryborough meeting.
By Danish sire Peak, Little Tedey got no favours in the run and faced the breeze for most of the 2190m trip, but proved up to the challenge.
Little Tedey, who is the first foal to race out of the multiple winning S J’s Photo mare Mother Nature, was having his fourth start, but a second and fourth placing at his first outings had shown he had his share of ability.
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Trotters have tomorrow night’s Melton meeting all on their own with the $100,000 Group One Grand Prix the feature of the all-trotters program.
Recent Great Southern Star winner Tornado Valley heads a star-field for the Grand Prix, while there are three other Group One finals on the night.
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Meetings coming up:
Friday: Stawell (d), Geelong (n).
Saturday: Melton (n).
Sunday: Boort (d).
Monday: Yarra Valley (d).
Tuesday: Shepparton (n).
Wednesday: Bendigo (n).
Thursday: Ballarat (n).