LEXTON reinsman James Herbertson – along with father Ashleigh – Michael Bellman and Allan McDonough took the honours at a huge 10-race card at the Swan Hill Trots on Tuesday night.
The Herbertsons combined to secure a hat-trick of wins for the evening, returning them home with their pockets full.
Bellman and McDonough weren’t to be outdone though, as they too proved successful with driver and trainer doubles in the last Swan Hill Trots event before next Friday evening’s Cup night.
The night started well for the Herbertsons with Montana Pride winning the Toshiba Air Conditioning Pace over 2240m.
Going forward from gate five, Montana Pride was able to cross pole marker Whereyagoinbabe and was never headed, scoring a comfortable victory ahead of Rocks Can Roll, with Whereyagoinbabe holding on for third in a mile rate of 2:00.3.
Exclusive Dancer was the next to salute for the Herbertsons, winning the 2240m Braemar Air Conditioning Pace First Heat.
Sent forward three wide at the start, Exclusive Dancer was trapped outside the pole marker Tropical Storm and Rockybomba (gate three), before striding clear in the back straight on the first occasion.
Travelling on a tight rein at the straight entrance, Exclusive Dancer greeted the judge a neck clear of local trainer Reece Moore’s White Star Village which flashed home late – with Tropical Storm a half head further back in third after using the sprint lane.
The final win for the Herbertsons for the evening belonged to 6yo gelding Gottahaveahobbie, who completed the treble for the father and son combination by winning the DNR Logistics Pace over 1750m in a mile rate of 1:57.9.
Pole sitter Tic Tact led throughout the early stages of the race, before handing over to Joe Costa’s (Woorinen) trained Bettor Star who was sitting in the one-one, as Gottahaveahobbie settled three back along the markers.
Sprouting wings along the sprint lane upon turning for home, Gottahaveahobbie finished the strongest, with Tic Tact for Chris Blake and Ryan Sanderson half a length behind in second, with Bettor Star third for the Costa stable.
Ararat trainer-driver Michael Bellman had his double by the end of the third event, with Mavericks Jet (race one) and Jazspur (race three) both first past the post.
Mavericks Jet claimed the opening race of the evening, taking out the Solarhart 3Y0 Maiden Pace over 1750m after settling three back in the moving line.
Although four wide on the final bend, Mavericks Jet finished full of running to account for Mildura hope Whodat Boodat for the Luke Watson stable, with Jay Miller dashing home from last to finish a metre away in third.
Despite a slow start from the 20m handicap, Jazspur eventually outraced the field in the Laser Electrical Trotters Handicap over 2240m.
After settling four back on the pegs, Jazspur went forward once the speed slowed to assume control of the race.
When David Murphy eased Show Me The Moolah off the inside to challenge strongly in the final circuit, Jazspur responded, eventually scoring a comfortable 1.2m win over the 7YO Show Me The Moolah, with Jay Bee Flex finishing for Julie Douglas and Ellen Tormey.
Allan McDonough’s driving double started with victory aboard the Ricky Ryan trained Crompton Bay in the Braemar Air Conditioning Pace 2nd Heat (race five), with Crompton Bay clearly enjoying the Swan Hill circuit after also claiming victory here in September.
McDonough then completed his double with a trainer-driver win aboard Blitzern in the eighth race of the evening – the Laser Electrical Pace over 2240m.
The other winners on the night were Cutty Shark, who secured the sixth event of the evening for Scott Garraway and Ryan Sanderson, Atego Shades who saluted in race nine for David Murphy (trainer) and Declan Murphy (driver) and finally Shes Going Places, who was first past the post in the final event of the night for Rodney Woods Snr and Damian Wilson trainer-driver combination.
The next meeting at Swan Hill will be held on Friday, October 28, with the running of the Swan Hill Pacing Cup.
