TWENTY-year-old reinsman Jordan Leedham, attached to Long Forest trainer Andy Gath, enjoyed a great evening at the nine-race card at the Swan Hill trots meeting on Wednesday night, chalking up a treble.
Leedham’s first victory came in the opening race of the program on Girgarre trainer Lisa Bartley’s gelding Rocknroll Nugget in the Noel Watson 3YO Maiden Pace over 1750 metres.
Despite racing three wide solo for the last lap, Rocknroll Nugget just lasted by a head from first starter Willeebillie from inside the second line.
Leedham also saluted after the 1750m Leanne Salau 2YO Maiden Pace with Irymple trainer Sandra O’Connor’s Powerofpersuasion in a slick 1:55.9 mile rate.
Powerofpersuasion, going forward from gate five to make an unsuccessful bid for the front running outside polemark leader Guaranteed Sweetie, was eased to position three pegs, receiving a comfortable passage. Moving outside the pacemaker on the home turn, Powerofpersuasion raced away on turning to record a 13.4m victory.
Leedham’s treble came up in the $10,000 Alabar Vicbred Platinum Maiden Pace on Joe Costa’s four-year-old mare Ace Star.
Leading throughout from gate three, Ace Star recorded an easy 3.4m win over Lazio Lass and first starter Elpine Warrior, who was a creditable third 4.4m back.
The penultimate race on the card, the Noel Watson We Sell Pace over 2240m, went to Gordon-based father and son Tim and Darby McGuigan when eight-year-old Shadow Play-Whata Western gelding Byalla Boy was victorious in a mile rate of 1:59.2.
Driven by Darby for mother Fiona, Byalla Boy, who won the St Arnaud Cup last month, enjoyed a sweet passage from gate two, trailing the pacemaker Just Ralph inside him before dashing home along the sprint lane to prevail by 1.2m.
The evening concluded with the 1750m Buying Selling Renting Noel Watson Real Estate Pace, which was taken out by Sebastian trainer Kylie Linsell’s seven-year-old Nikita Adele.
Still last approaching the home turn, Nikita Adele, after angling five wide in the straight, swamped her rivals to register the win by a neck over Miss Social Media.
Earlier, an exciting race on the program was the Noel Watson Real Estate Trotters Handicap over 2240m, which went the way of Echuca trainer Peter Lindberg’s Star Down Under in a mile rate of 2:02.5. Raced by Echuca Sulkies Pty Ltd, Star Down Under, coming from outside the 20m mark with James Herbertson in the sulky, settled a long way off the leader Get Smart Max (barrier two).
When another of the 20m runners, Hateitwhenyourrite, went forward mid-race to race exposed, Star Down Under had gradually made ground to be one-one for the last lap.
With Hateitwhenyourrite taking over approaching the final bend, Star Down Under immediately pounced and raced clear in the straight to score by 5.9m from Namoscar (one-three), who ran on late. Hateitwhenyourrite was a nose away third.
The other winners of the night were Charisma King (race 5) for 24-year-old Ballarat trainer Sam Barker with Bailey McDonough in the sulky, Milloo Gunslinger, who saluted after race 6 for Milloo trainer Trish McVeigh, and Final Peace, who won race 7 by 7.1m.
