JAMES Herbertson had a night to remember, steering home the last three winners at the Swan Hill Trots on Sunday evening.
Herbertson claimed the final three events on the card with Maxy Wants To Play (race seven), Star Down Under (race eight) and Hopes Choice (race nine).
Hopes Choice also giving Herbertson’s mother Ashleigh her first win of the night.
Restrained from outside the front line to settle five back on the pegs, Hopes Choice travelled beautifully through the race as pole marker Fight For Falby led.
When Concongella Miss (three back) came off the inside in the last lap, Hopes Choice latched to her back and when angled three wide on the final bend, put the race beyond doubt to greet the judge untouched in a mile rate of 2:01.9, ahead of Bet Sheza Lady and Concongella Miss.
Herbertson’s first win of the night came aboard Maxy Wants To Play in the 2240m VHRC/Del-Re National Food Group Pace for well-known Barham trainer Ruth Arthur.
Starting as a $1.30 favourite, Maxy Wants To Play led easily from the pole and never got out of second gear, kicking away on the home turn to register a 1.3m win over Markleigh Caz, who ran home along the sprint lane, returning a mile rate of 2:00.5.
Echuca trainer Peter Lindberg’s Star Down Under completed Herbertson’s treble, with the seven-year-old gelding racing in peak for at present to chalk up his eighth success in 58 outings.
Stepping safely but slowly off 20 metres from the standing start, Star Down Under was given plenty of time to find his feet as he settled five back along the pegs as Shezagem (barrier two) led, before handing over to Aristotle.
When Night Whisperer came away from the inside to lead up the outside runners at the bell, Star Down Under followed him home and when taken three wide on the final bend, raced clear over the concluding stages to score ahead of Night Whisperer and Double Helix.
It was also a successful night for Horsham trainer-driver Aaron Dunn, who registered a double with Little Louie and Neatntidy in the fifth and sixth events of the evening.
Bred by Dunn’s parents Barry and Yvonne, Little Louie made it a one-act affair in the 1750m VHRC/GBL Property Consultants Pace, winning in a mile rate of 1:57.1.
First up since last December after being allowed to balance from gate six, Little Louie let rip to effortlessly cross polesitter The Majors Girl and coasted all the way to win by 4.6m from In The Paper, with The Majors Girl holding down third.
Dunn didn’t have to wait long to secure his double, with Neatntidy saluting half an hour later after leading easily from gate four and never extending in accounting for Ringorella which trailed, with Cornishtown Kid (gate six) running on late from the rear for third in a mile rate of 1:57.7.
Earlier in the evening, Peter Salathiel and Katrina Cain got proceedings under way by claiming the opening race of the night with Sports Narrator, while the Andrew Clarke-trained and Neil McCallum-driven Aintsobad was first past the post in the second race of the night.
Lisa Miles and Jordan Chibnall also combined to claim a win with Myzami in the third race on the card, with Tic Tact winning half an hour later for Chris Blake (trainer) and Ryan Sanderson (driver).
Swan Hill will race again Wednesday, September 20, with the first-round heats of the Northern Region Championship to take place.
