December Winning Post
2nd Dec: John Dorrington’s Smokey Quartz was successful in the UBET Band 5/Band 3 Pace over 2138 metres at Queensland’s Albion Park. Trained by Kerry Ann Turner and driven by Robbie Morris, Smokey Quartz a home bred Courage Under Fire - Pareen 7Y0 gelding was given a beaut passage one/one from gate two before racing clear on turning to record a 2 metre margin from Betterbe Perfect and Withalotof Luck in a 1-54 mile rate.
2nd Dec: Carol Bass shared in a winner when 4Y0 Mach Three - Braeview Success gelding Machiatto trained by Andy Gath and taking a concession for Sam Barker, led throughout in the 1609 metre Hyland Colours Pace for C2 & C3 class at Cranbourne - defeating Bettor Biaggi and Elteeare in a thrilling head/head finish with a mile rate of 1-59.6.
7th Dec: Rob Molloy and Bill Hutchison tasted success at Charlton with a well overdue victory of 4Y0 Skyvelley - Aldebaran Breeze mare Breezin Around in the North West AG Services Trotters Mobile for T0 & T1 class over 2100 metres. Trained by Mick Hughes at the Cranbourne Training Centre, Breezin Around was given every opportunity (one/one) by Simone Walker, running home strongly to register a 11.9 metre margin over Keepthedream and Cobbler Creek in a rate of 2-03
8th Dec: Helen Dobson’s 4Y0 Shady Shark Hanover - The Milky Way mare Shady Secret continued on her winning way when a tough victor of the Santons Of Bendigo Pace for C4 & C5 class over 1650 metres at Bendigo. Trained by Ross Sugars, and driven by son Greg Shady Secret raced exposed for the final circuit, proving too strong for the leader Machiatto by a neck in a slick 1-55.6, with No Bettertime third
9th Dec: Smokey Quartz saluted again at Albion Park a week later, leading throughout in the 1669 metre Rio Meteor Sulky Band 5/Band 3 Pace to record a 6.3 metre victory from Written In Red and Western Blaze in 1-53.3.
Stablemate Come Cullect a 6Y0 half sister by Gotta Go Cullect repeated the dose in the Hurrikane Kingcole @ Egmont Park Stud Mares Qualifying Pace for C2 or better class over the same distance, leading all of the way from gate six, accounting for Hey Porsha by 10.9 metres, with Gotta Glow third in a rate of 1-54.5.
10th Dec: Phil Walshe and Peter Judd were in the winners stall at Kilmore on when all American bred 5Y0 mare Argentine Tango greeted the judge in The Bendigo Club Trotters Mobile for TR1 & TR2 class over 2180 metres. Trained at Bolinda by Alison Alford and driven by husband Chris, Argentine Tango was balanced from the pole allowing both Als Law and red hot favourite Hedge Your Bet to cross her. Set alight within a lap to assume control, Argentine Tango ran her rivals ragged, winning by 14.1 metres from Aussie Beach Blond from last, with Hedge Your Bet 13.7 metres away in third place after galloping on the final bend. The mile rate 2-04.8.
Kevin Riseley has enjoyed a wonderful Inter Dominion carnival in Perth after his champion pacer Lazarus recorded an easy victory in the $1.1 million dollar Grand Final as did stablemate Ultimate Machete in the $200,000 Retravision Gold Nugget.
Lazarus moved the face the breeze mid-race and was much too solid for his rivals, scoring by 4.1 metres in 1-57.6 from Chicago Bull and Tiger Tara, while Ultimate Machete was never out of second gear after leading throughout to defeat Maczaffair and Herrick Roosevelt in 1-57.6.
15th Dec: John Hawke’s high priced 4Y0 Bettors Delight - Reklaw gelding Rishi scored his first success on Australian soil when victorious in the Happy Birthday Christine Campion Pace for C2 class over 2200 metres at Ballarat. Trained and driven by Lance Justice, Rishi (gate 6) despite a burn was unable to head off the hot favourite Nitro Nikki inside him, with Justice easing to take a trail. Again moving to race in the open at the bell, Rishi showed a wonderful will to win when under pressure on turning and gained the day by a head over Super Max which trailed Nitro Nikki who finished third a head away. The mile rate 1-59.5.
16th Dec: John Dorrington’s mare Come Cullect was again a winner at Albion Park Brisbane after taking heat 8 of the Australasian Young Drivers Championship. Driven by Victoria’s Jason Lee, Come Cullect led throughout. recording a 9.8 metre margin over Diesel Shannon and Monumental in a slick 1-52.5.
Good work JD - 4 wins over a few weeks is a great result
19th Dec: Bendigo’s Peter Svanosio was the successful owner of 4Y0 Bacardi Lindy -Peurto Bonus mare Nine Mile Cruiser who was most impressive in taking out the Kerang Mechanical Repairs Trotters Handicap for T0 or better class over 2240 metres at Swan Hill. Lightly raced, Nine Mile Cruiser trained and driven by son Chris was making her 9th race appearance and despite racing exposed from 10 metres (which was actually the front line as there were no front markers), outgunned the leader and hot favourite Waikare Astronomer in the shadows of the post to score by a head in a mile rate of 2-07.1. Scottish Sardius ran her usual honest race for third 14.9 metres away after coming from last at the bell.
22nd Dec: John and Christine Yeomans shared in a winning ownership at Hobart when their home bred 4Y0 Rocknroll Hanover - Life Inthefastlane gelding Solid As A Rock scored in the C3 & C4 class Bonamy’s Cider Fashions On The Field Pace over 2190 metres. Trained and driven by Rohan Hillier, Solid As A Rock peeled off a three wide trail to register a neck margin over Rockin An Runnin returning a mile rate of 2-00.1. The horse had previously won at Launceston on December 3 & 17.
26th Dec: Long time member Rod Pollock ventured to Elmore on Boxing Day to witness his home bred Framework - Riegle Anne 5Y0 mare Scottish Sardius score a good victory in the 2180 metre John O’Rielly Memorial Trotters Cup for TR0 or better class over 2180 metres. Trained and driven by Inglewood’s Peter Sanderson, Scottish Sardius coming from 20 metres sitting three back in the moving line as Arrested led from barrier two. Moving to be one/one for the final circuit as Lochlee Jacob ahead of her dropped to the markers, Scottish Sardius when taken wide on straightening, finished full of running to win by 1.8 metres over Arrested, with Tenno Sho a half neck away in third place after facing the breeze from the bell. The mile rate 2-08.8. Rod’s wife Anne shares the ownership with him
27th Dec: Helen Dobson shared in another winner at Ararat on when her ultra-consistent 4Y0 mare Shady Secret greeted the judge in the R.L. & L.M. Emerson Offset & Digital Pace for C4 to C6 class over 2195 metres in a rate of 1-58.8. Trained by Jess Tubbs at Myrniong and driven by husband Greg Sugars, Shady Secret was sent forward from outside the front line to park outside the local hope Witzend which led from gate two. Proving to be the better stayer on the day, Shady Secret gave plenty over the concluding stages to record a neck margin in advance of Christmas Jolt from mid-field. Village Safari was a neck away third after following the runner up home
27th Dec: Nine Mile Cruiser won again at Shepparton on December 27, leading throughout from barrier two to snare the T1 or better class Betta Home Living Trotters Handicap over 2190 metres. Travelling beautifully, Nine Mile Cruiser kicked clear on the final bend to record an easy 14.2 metre margin over Plumbers Petty Cash (mid-field after an early gallop) and back marker Just Call Me Earl in a mile rate of 2-03.8.
30th Dec: Rob Merola, John Hawke and Sam Godino were victorious at Cranbourne when 4Y0 Muscle Mass - Mystic Hush gelding Carnera chalked up his 7th success by taking the Seelite Windows & Doors Trotters Mobile for TM0 & TM1 class over 2555 metres. Bred by Rob, Sam and Nick Lobianco, Carnera trained and driven by Lance Justice led out from gate two, with Justice electing to take a trail on former Breeders Crown winner Cruisin Around which showed brilliant speed from outside the front line to cross over entering the front straight on the first occasion. Enjoying the run of the race Carnera traveled smoothly all of the way b when Cruisin Around kicked clear on the final bend, it appeared that he had the race in his keeping, however Carnera was tenacious along the sprint lane to wear him down in the shadows of the post to record a half neck margin in a rate of 2-03.1. Sun Of Anarchy (one/one last lap) was third 4.7 metres away.