After claiming the J A Connelly Crystal Bucket with veteran trotter Father Christmas, Lilley completed the big race double with the hot favourite Sicario who led all the way to claim the $35,000 Moama Bowling Club Echuca Pacing Cup.
Ace reinsman Chris Alford was able to hold the front running position from barrier one with Sicario, who was a $1.10 chance on the tote, and the race developed into a three-horse affair in the concluding stages with the winner prevailing easily at the finish.
The David Aiken trained and Kima Frenning driven Shelby Bromac, who spent most of the marathon 2560m trip outside the leader hung on bravely to finish second, just ahead of the Kyabram trained Brallos Pass, who got the run of the race on the back of Sicario.
This trio skipped clear from the rest of the field to fight out the finish over the last 300m.
One of Sicario’s part owners, Echuca’s Rob Owen, who has been battling ill health, said it was a huge thrill to win the cup on his home track.
“I got to meet the other part owners on the night and had a great time. It’s a night I won’t forget,’’ said Owen.
Reinsman Ross Payne made an early move on the Lilley trained Father Christmas to claim the JA Connelly Crystal Bucket.
Payne set the nine-year-old son of Love You around the field early from his co backmark of 20 metres which proved the winning move.
Payne was able to dictate the terms once he had Father Christmas in front and the veteran trotter had no trouble holding off the stablemate and favourite Stress Factor and Honey Please at the business end of the challenging 2530m trip.
The win, the 17th of his career, took Father Christmas’ prizemoney earnings close to $200,000.
The horse carried its winning form from the previous Saturday’s final night of the rich TAB Summer of Glory. Victory in the Edgell Sidewinders The Pure Steel, built on a promising season for the former Kiwi, who was purchased by the large Victorian syndicate in January 2019 and, having provided plenty of highs (including being the best of Victoria’s Inter Dominion entrants) then broke through for a first trots country cup victory. Having run third in the Yarra Valley Cup in November and then second at Cobram, fourth at Shepparton and fifth at Wedderburn the victory almost seemed overdue.
There was also a local winner at the meeting with former Echuca East Football Club legend Fred McKenner dealing favourite punters a blow when claiming the final event on the nine race card with Cobber Mac at tote odds of 20/1.
Driven by Ryan Duffy, Cobber Mac beat the even money favourite Missus Matilda in scoring his second career success, with both wins being achieved on the Frank Ryan Raceway.
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