ANDREW German and Blake Jones were the stars of the show at Wednesday night’s Swan Hill Trotting Club meeting, the pair taking out the feature race on the card.
Red Cliffs-based breeder, owner and trainer German captured the $10,000 Llowalong Farms Stallion Parade 10 September Pace, ran over 2240 metres, with All Da Rage.
The four-year-old gelding is the son of Betterthancheddar and Hush Hush Lombo.
With Jones aboard, All Da Rage flew from gate four and went straight to the front, before scoring an all-the-way win in a mile rate of 1:57.4.
Cemetery Bay was 3.7m away in second after travelling in the one-one for much of the race and Our Classie Reactor third after using the sprint lane to no avail.
All Da Rage provided Jones with a driving double, after he guided the Ellen Bartley-trained Ellas Reason home in the fifth event of the night, the second heat of the Llowalong Farms Heidi George Classic.
Ellas Reason will now move on to next Wednesday’s Bendigo final of the Heidi George Classic, worth $20,000, along with free services to one of the stallions on Llowalong Farms’ 2023 roster.
Beginning swiftly from gate four to lead, Ellas Reason was rated to perfection, accounting for Alfnalma off a three-wide trail last lap from mid-field, to score by 3.8m, with pole marker Markleigh Caz using the sprint lane to finish third in a mile rate of 1:57.8.
Strathfieldsaye trainer Julie Douglas was victorious in the opening race of the night with three-year-old bay gelding Let Me Tell You first past to the post, much to the delight of loyal stable client Peter Cole.
Driven by Charlton’s Abby Sanderson, Let Me Tell You began fast to lead from gate four and was never headed, running out an easy 5.6m winner in advance of Island Bouhinia and Over The Line, returning in a mile rate of 1:58.4.
Andrew Clarke then combined with Declan Murphy to guide four-year-old mare I Runformum home in a mile rate of 2:00.1 to claim the second event of the night, the Poster Boy @ Llowalong Farms Pace over 2240m.
Enjoying a cosy trip from gate three on the back of the pacemaker Bella Abby, I Runformum used the sprint lane to win by a head from Swiss Lightning, with the Joe Costa trained Bella Abby holding down third in a thrilling finish.
Rochester trainer Mark Thompson combined with much travelled Ararat-based driver Michael Bellman to land the other feature event of the night, the King Of The North @ Llowalong Farms Pace, with Bellman piloting home four-year-old gelding Warrantee in a mile rate of 1:57.6.
Settling five back in the moving line from gate three on the second line as Major Drama led from gate four, Warrantee followed Alwaysbealady home three wide before finishing the better to claim the win by a metre, with Frenwood Miracle, who raced in the one-one, 8.5m back in third.
Trainer-driver Neville Pangrazio claimed the third event of the evening with five-year-old mare Cashflow Cassie, while co-trainers Barry and Ashleigh Ainsworth were victorious half an hour later with six-year-old gelding Night Whisperer.
The penultimate race was won by Lils Nightmare for trainer-driver Donna Castles, before John Tormey and Jack Laugher combined to take victory in the final race with Glens of Tekoa.
Swan Hill Trots will return on Sunday, August 20, with a night meeting.
