Len Baker
THE Gadsden name is well known in the Swan Hill-Lake Boga area – and it was up in lights with now Charlton-based Michael Gadsden claiming the final two races on the card at the Swan Hill trots meeting on Sunday evening.
The Gadsden stable claimed the first win with Markleigh Caz in the Investing.com Pace over 2240m, before doubling up half an hour later when Wichita Kansas took out the Investing.com Maiden Pace over the same distance. Both winners were driven by partner Denbeigh Wade.
Markleigh Caz, an eight-year-old mare, started from gate four and spent the early stages of the race in the one-one, before shuffling back to the rear of the field. With the leaders tiring, Wade accelerated around the final turn to pull away from runner-up Chalkncheddar and record a comfortable two-length win in a mile rate of 2:00.0
The four-year-old gelding Wichita Kansas then completed the stable’s double, with Wade settling the second favourite at the rear of the field from the wide start gate at the start. Go George Go led from gate three.
Moving three wide down the back straight, Wichita Kansas was then taken to the extreme outside on straightening and sprouted wings to register a runaway 2.1m win over Tormentare, which used the sprint lane, with Dallas Charlie a half neck away third.
Gadsden and Wade weren’t the only ones to record a running double on the night, with Liparoo trainer Reece Moore winning the fourth and fifth races with White Star Village and Didmeselfamischief respectively.
Moore, who is doing a fantastic job since shifting to the northern area, landed the 1750m Investing.com Pace (5th heat) with eight-year-old Village Jolt-Priscilla Presley gelding White Star Village, who finished full of running out wide.
White Star Village, after being taken to the rear of the field at the start, recorded a 4.5m victory over Shades Of Heaven, who made use of the sprint lane, with Feels Lika Boss, a stablemate of the winner, half a head away third. The mile rate was 1:56.7.
James Herbertson then helped Moore secure the double in the fifth race, by guiding Didmeselfamischief home first in the Investing.com 3Y0 Pace over 1720m.
Starting from gate five, Didmeselfamischief came out full of running at the start before angling back to the running line to sit behind leader Modern Jive.
Earlier in the evening, Strathfieldsaye trainer Julie Douglas claimed a quinella in the opening race with Major Watson holding out stablemate Treacherous Rock to claim victory with Abby Sanderson aboard in a mile rate of 1:59.6.
The second event of the night was won by the Brett Bunfield-trained and Jordan Chibnall-driven Spencer in the fastest mile rate of the evening, 1:55.3.
Spencer finished with a rush to narrowly edge out Rocking Bugatti in a photo, with Bona Khan finishing a length behind third.
In the third race of the night Double The Hunter, a Tim Mortlock-trained, Michelle Phillips-driven three-year old bay gelding, claimed victory ahead of the Glenn Bull-trained and driven Treacheroustimes, with Lils Nightmare 5.7m away third.
The next meeting for the Swan Hill Trotting Club will be on Thursday, September 29.
