A most entertaining evening of harness racing was held at Swan Hill on February 11, a seven-event card with some fast times the order of the night along with stable doubles.
The Websters Weanerguard Pace over 1750m opened the night, going the way of Sunraysia trainer Reece Moore’s 8Y0 gelding Neds Beach in a mile rate of 1.54.9.
Driven by Kyneton-based Ben Xiriha who recently enjoyed his best season ever, Neds Beach from the pole was given the run of the race.
Trailing Smooth Techy next door and in a peg dominated affair, he eased away from the markers on the home turn to finish best and prevail by 7.5 metres.
Heart Of Cooper (three pegs) was third a head away.
Moore was to bring up a double after 5Y0 Chogi snared the Swan Hill Stock Feeds Pace over 1750m.
Driven by Ellen Tormey, in the first of her three winners for the night, Chogi was beaten for speed by a flying Lilbitahenrytee from outside the front line before immediately easing around the leader to take over.
Rated well, Chogi defied all challengers to gain the day by 1.3m from Elysian Palace along the sprint lane from three pegs.
Lilbitahenrytee was third, three metres back, after also making use of the sprint lane. The mile rate 2.00.7.
Byrneside (GV) trainer/driver Laura Wilson, known as Laura Crossland before marrying Damian Wilson recently, snared a double.
3Y0 colt Alot Like Louie taking the 2240m Tridectin Pace and 6Y0 gelding Dessie Gee the Websters Eweguard Pace over the same trip.
Alot Like Louie (gate four) began fast only to be trapped outside the leader Sunstar (gate two) before gaining cover after Jack Laughter sent Hy Filante forward from the extreme draw to race exposed in the early stages.
Angling four wide on the home turn, Alot Like Louie in a tight finish prevailed by a half head over the heavy favourite Hot Rocks (one/three – three wide last lap to take over on the final bend).
Shaq running his usual honest race for third 10m back after being extricated from four back the markers. The mile rate 1.57.3.
Dessie Gee began brilliantly to lead from gate five and after being allowed to dictate terms, ran out a 2.2m victor in 1.58.3 over Idealrockidealroll (gate four) which trailed.
Cee Cee In America (four pegs) was third, 7.1m back.
Charlton trainer Michael Gadsden snared the quinella in the 2240m Virbac Pace, with Fragmental defeating the favourite Hungry Hogarth by a neck in a fighting finish.
An 8Y0 gelded son of Always A Virgin and Fragments, Fragmental driven by Ellen Tormey led from gate two with Hungry Hogarth (Ryan Sanderson – gate three) outside him. Crossing shortly after, Hungry Hogarth looked the goods, however Fragmental, making full use of the sprint lane, bloused him by a neck in a rate of 2.00.7. Wheres Wood Wood (one/one) was third, 5.6m back.
The mandatory Pearsons Grain ‘Battlers In The Bush Maiden Pace’ over 1750m saw Tooleen trainer Alex Ashwood and reinswoman partner Tayla French successful with 6Y0 gelding Bus Stop who was making his first appearance for the stable.
Despite not being placed in 14 previous races, Bus Stop was heavily backed into a $2.40 favourite and wasted little time from the extreme draw to go forward and park outside the poleline pacemaker She’s Poppy.
With the pair drawing away on turning, Bus Stop, raced by Billy Weidenbach, did best in a punishing finish to greet the judge by 1.3m, with Riviera Rose running on late along the sprint lane from three pegs for third, 7.4m away. The mile rate 2.00.2.
Racing concluded with the Pearsons Transport 2Y0 & 3Y0 Maiden Pace over 1750m – the impressive victor being 3Y0 gelding Katunga Express on debut for Ellen Tormey, giving her three wins for the night.
Starting solo on the second line, Katunga Express bided his time at the rear of the field before making a lighting burst of speed in the last lap.
He swept to the front on the home turn with the race safely in his keeping, accounting for the pacemaker Dancin With Lush (gate three) and Thinkfast Runfast (gate two) which trailed the leader.
The margins 27.4m by 3.1m in a mile rate of 1-57.6.
Swan Hill’s next meeting will be on Wednesday, March 6.
