Goulburn Valley horsemen will be looking to claim some of the big spoils on offer in five Group 1 races at tomorrow night’s mega Melton meeting.
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Shepparton trainer Russell Jack has a strong hand in the feature events, including hopes Sanchez and Its Confidential in the $150,000 Victoria Pacers Derby.
Sanchez has drawn barrier three over the testing 2760m trip, while Nathan Jack will partner Its Confidential who has each way claims.
Record-breaking Stanhope reinsman Mark Pitt will partner the Emma Stewart-trained Captain Perfect in the race, while Murchison’s Ryan Sanderson is on another of the Stewart runners, Storms Collide.
But both have drawn the widest barriers on the second row.
Russell Jack will also be represented in the $60,000 Bill Collins Sprint with emerging superstar trotter Derek The Jet, who should be in it for a long way from barrier three.
In the $150,000 Victoria Oaks final, trainer Lisa Pitt and her reinsman husband Mark will be chasing glory with talented filly Soap And Bubbles, which has drawn to be in the race for a long way from barrier two.
Veteran Avenel horseman Col Duncan has Tivoli and Byrneside trainer-driver Damian Wilson has Ideal Moth chasing the blue ribbon feature.
Unfortunately, Murchison-trained pacer Dangerous has had to be scratched from the feature event of the program, the $250,000 Victoria Cup, by trainer Shane Sanderson, but Sanderson’s reinsman son Ryan will partner one of the main chances, the Emma Stewart-trained Bay Of Biscay in the Group 1.
He will also drive Kiss in another of the blockbusters, the $50,000 Ladyship Cup, for Stewart.
The Goulburn Valley fairer sex upstaged their male counterparts at last Friday’s Wagga meeting.
Shepparton trainers Charlene Gusman and Bec Bartley both had winners at the meeting.
Gusman broke a run of ours with Our Rokyu, who she drove to victory, while Bartley prepared Oh Sweet Creature, which was reined to victory by fellow Shepparton horsewoman Tasmyn Trotter.
Our Rokyu led for most of the 1740m trip and dug deep to keep several challengers at bay in the home straight.
It was the first win the four-year-old Downbytheseaside mare has enjoyed since winning on the same track in October last year. It was also her fifth career win.
Oh Sweet Creature was forced to race outside the pacemaker in the run, but bravely staved off all challengers after hitting the front in the home straight in a gutsy performance.
Oh Sweet Creature, a six-year-old gelding by For A Reason, put the writing on the wall to a win at his previous outing on the track a week earlier when runner-up to Our Rocky.
It was the 80th time Oh Sweet Creature had faced the starter, with 11 wins and 23 minor placings, including 14 seconds.
Bartley has had the consistent pacer in her Shepparton barn for only the past five starts and has quickly returned him to winning ways.
Bartley also enjoyed a win at Tuesday night's Shepparton meeting with trotter Voldagha.
Driven by her brother-in-law Mark Pitt, the three-year-old Voldstead gelding made the pace over the 2190m trip and hung on to hold out the fast finishing Juanita Breen-trained and driven Little Miss Morgan, which put up a huge run after an early break.
The win shredded Voldagha’s maiden status after 11 tries, which had produced five minor placings before Tuesday night’s triumph.
It was a well-deserved win as Voldagha had four top-three finishes in his previous four starts.
The Turnbulls of Tatura were well to the fore at Tuesday night’s Wagga meeting.
Trainer Craig produced a winning double, partnering Star To Fall to his second win in two starts, while daughter Abbey also made it two starts for two wins with three-year-old filly Poster Perfect .
As well as driving a winner for his sister-in-law at the Shepparton meeting, Mark Pitt was also in the good books with is wife Lisa.
The Pitts combined to win with The Postmaster, which delivered one of the easiest wins on the eight-race program.
Having his first start for the Pitts and his 13th career start, The Postmaster gave a bold front-running display and beat home the runner-up, the well-supported Shane Sanderson-trained Wicked Wizard, by nearly 18m in a slick 1.54.2 mile rate time over the 1690m trip.
The win was a first leg in a running double sired by Poster Boy, with the NSW visitor Bam Bam Brook completing the stallion double with his win.
It also completed a driving double at the meeting for top reinsman James Herbertson.
Echuca trainer Wayne Lear signed off with a win in another fruitful night for Goulburn Valley trainers and drivers at the Shepparton meeting this week.
Lear produced talented veteran mare Where's Wood Wood for her ninth career win when she finished all over her rivals.
The eight-year-old Mach Three has been a consistent performer for Lear, who has resurrected her racing career this year, which has produced three wins and six minor placings.
Byrneside horsewoman Laura Wilson reunited with pacer Soho Playgirl to regain bragging rights over her husband Damian at the Shepparton meeting.
Damian had driven the Ted Jepsen trained three-year-old filly by Soho Tribeca at her previous start when she ran fourth at Bendigo last week.
Laura had driven Soho Playgirl in her seven starts before that for a win and six top-four finishes.
In Tuesday night’s win, Laura took Soho Playgirl to the front after an early scrimmage and comfortably held all challengers at bay in the run to the judge to notch her fourth career win in 36 starts with 10 minor placings, including six seconds.
Ryan Sanderson was very much to the fore last Saturday in another Melton meeting dominated by premier trainer Stewart.
Three of Stewart’s four winners at the meeting were reined to victory by Sanderson.
They were Fox Dan and Storms Collide in heats of the Victoria Pacers Derby and the returning Petrecca, who had not raced since last August but displayed his brilliant form with a runaway win, the 12th of his 18-race career.
Sanderson also enjoyed another win for Stewart at the Kilmore meeting two days earlier, steering Pre Eminant to her maiden win at her third race start.
Mark Pitt also drove a winner for Stewart at last Saturday night’s Melton meeting, winning a heat of the Victoria Oaks on Beach Diamond.
Meetings coming up:
Today: Geelong (n)
Saturday: Melton (n)
Sunday: Cranbourne (n)
Monday: Terang (n)
Tuesday: Shepparton (n), Mildura (n)
Wednesday: Bendigo (n)
Thursday: Kilmore (n)
Friday: Melton (n)
Saturday: Melton (n)