BENDIGO duo Alex Ashwood and Tayla French have dominated an entertaining night of harness racing at Swan Hill on Tuesday, ending the night with three winners on the nine-race program.
The Whitfield Group Pace over 1750m started the night, when seven-year-old gelding Tropical Storm (French) led throughout from gate four to register a 2.5m margin in advance of Rojenbye, which settled at the tail from the extreme draw before going forward three wide in the last lap.
Ashwood took the reins aboard five-year-old mare Angel Of Heaven to bring up his second victory in the Enviro Battlers In The Bush Maiden Pace over 1750m.
Spending most of the race three pegs from an inside second line draw, as Epic Orion began fast to lead from gate three, Angel Of Heaven in her third race appearance dashed home along the sprint lane to blouse the pacemaker by 1.5m.
Remi Magic was 3.1m back in third place after coming away from behind the leader on the home turn.
It was French again in the winner’s circle when three-year-old Cheeky Eagle brought up a hat-trick in the 1750m Enviro X Solutions Pace.
Starting brilliantly from gate five, Cheeky Eagle led all the way in what was the “drive of the night”, kicking clear on straightening to account for the hot favourite Yapper, which trailed from the pole by 3.2m.
Red Cliffs trainer Reece Moore is usually a winner at most Swan Hill meetings and provided a double on the night.
Sonnys Amazing snared the Mulching Technologies Pace over 1750m with Ellen Tormey in the sulky and seven-year-old gelding Ned Beach the 2240m Dalsan Investments Pace with James Herbertson driving.
Starting fast from gate five to trail the leader and short priced favourite Impulsive George (gate three), Sonnys Amazing was too slick at the finish, scoring by 4.5m.
Cardigan trainer Emma Stewart has a great record at Swan Hill and was another to chalk up a double during the evening, filly Loco Diablo (Allan McDonough) showing her rivals a clean pair of heels winning the 2240m Whitfield Excavations 3YO Pace from Edwarde Grange, which made up plenty of ground to go down by 2.3m.
Monegeetta trainer Jodi Woodham-Murdoch has her four-year-old gelding Mac Shadow racing in rare form, bringing up three wins in a row when taking the Longrass Farms Pace over 1750m.
After racing exposed from gate five outside Cashflow Cassie (gate six), Mac Shadow dropped to the leader’s back approaching the home turn before easing outside her in the straight and finishing best to prevail by 3.8m.
