Red-hot favorite Parisian Artiste has taken out this year’s Group 3 Swan Hill Trotters Cup with an impressive run at last Thursday’s Swan Hill Trotting Club meeting.
Starting with a 10m handicap, the Alex Ashwood trained and Tayla French driven four-year-old gelding settled at the rear of the field at the start of the $25,000 standing start feature race.
Rounding the field heading into the last lap, Parisian Artiste sat without cover on the outside of leader Robbie Royale and raced exposed for the final 1200m.
Driven with extreme confidence, Parisian Artiste took a slender margin upon turning for home and held that lead all the way to the line to score by 1.8m ahead of the Andy Gath trained and Jordan Leedham driven Havehorsewilltravel.
Robbie Royal was third a further 1.4m back and Well Defined finished with an eye-catching fourth.
Heavily backed second elect Cuchulainn bombed the start from barrier three and was forced to settle last on the markers – and from there was never a chance.
The other highlight of the night was the performance of Lexton reinsman James Herbertson in the sulky, who took the driving honors for the night after guiding home three winners, including the Jeremy Quinlan trained stablemates Our Cheeky Devil (race three) and The Girls Gotflair (race 10), along with Im Shadow Boxer (race five) for father Ashleigh.
Five-year old gelding Our Cheeky Devil raced exposed from outside the front line to outstay his rivals, defeating Magic Matteo along the sprint lane – which was relegated to third for breaking on the wire, with Areuohkay, which led throughout, promoted to second in a mile rate of 1:56.7.
The other Quinlan winner for the night in seven-year-old mare The Girls Gotflair led throughout the final race of the night – the Aldebaran Park Trotters Handicap over 2240m, after both favorites Builder Bob and Tripod galloped during the race.
Holding a handy margin on the home turn, The Girls Gotflair had 1.6m to spare over Violetta Gift (20m) which trailed her from the bell.
Tripod, after locking wheels on the final bend with Show Me The Moolah, was third, albeit 32.7m back.
Rounding out Herbertson’s treble was the seven-year-old gelding Im Shadow Boxer, who used the sprint lane off the back of the leader Magic Mike in the 2240m Alabar Pace to prevail by a nose, with Duke Of Dundee flying home late for an unlucky third in a mile rate of 1:59.4.
Not to be outdone, Cardigan based driver Allan McDonough would also pilot home multiple winners, opening the meeting by driving the first two winners of the evening.
The Trump Bloodstock 3YO Maiden Pace over 1750m opened proceedings, with McDonough piloting polemarker Modern Ginger across the line first.
Trained by Naomi Kerr, Modern Ginger led throughout, kicking away on the turn to win comfortably ahead of Jay Miller (second) and Arklow (third) in an impressive mile rate of 1:55.2
McDonough then completed his early double just half an hour later, guiding the Ricky Ryan trained 5YO gelding Crompton Bay home in the 1750m Woodlands Stud Pace in a mile rate of 1:59.4.
Sent forward three wide from gate five, only to go off stride when challenging the favorite Arma Veyron for the front, Crompton Bay fortunately regained his gait to settle in the one/one shortly after.
Angling three wide on the final bend, Crompton Bay ran home the best to beat the leader home by a neck, with Feels Lika Boss third some 6.8m away after trailing the winner from the pole.
After training the winner of the feature race, the Swan Hill Trotting Cup, Alex Ashwood also completed a double – this time as a trainer/driver – after piloting three-year-old gelding Roberts Delight home in the 2nd Heat Northern Region Championship.
Ashwood claimed the quinella in the eighth race of the evening, having also trained the second placed Lightning Jash, much to the punters dismay, with Lightning Jash starting the race as red-hot favorite.
Roberts Delight had the run of the race, sitting in the one/one and running home swiftly to nab Lightning Jash, which led in a tricky finish.
Gojoe used the sprint lane to finish third 1.5m away, in a mile rate of 2:00.2.
The final three races on the card were won by the Janet Exell trained/Declan Murphy driven Its A Good Feeling (race four), Russell Jack trained and Nathan Jack driven 2YO Erupt Stride (race six) and the David Murphy trained/Brent Murphy driven outsider Atego Shades (race nine), who started at long odds of $26 and claimed victory in a mile rate of 2:01.6.
The next meeting of the Swan Hill Trotting Club will be held in a fortnight’s time (Tuesday, October 18) with the Swan Hill Pacing Cup to follow 10 days later on Friday, October 28.
