17 February 2012 - Young Warragul based trainer/reinswoman Casey Parker has hit the top of the leaderboard after the second race of the three race Harness Racing Training Centre Rising Stars Young Driver Series. 
Parker a graduate of the Gippsland Harness Training Centre prepares her own small team and has shown her driving skills off in the first two races of this series finishing runner up at Bendigo on 4 February and winning the second heat today at Maryborough. Prior to this series she had driven one winner and two minor placings. At Maryborough, driving the aptly named four-year-old mare Tara Toplady, Parker exercised patience and kept the $4.00 second favourite back early before finishing the 1690 metres off nicely to score by 1.5 metres in a 1:57.9 mile rate. Little Red Cloud (Timothy McLean) finished second with Evil Trickster driven by Denbeigh Wade third. For winning Parker earned 12 points to put her at the top of the driver table with 22 pts. Below the frontrunner the leader board is condensed with three drivers, Leroy O'Brien, Denbeigh Wade and Corey Bell each on 17 points. Timothy McLean has 12 and Emma Bowles 10; Aaron Woodhouse Ashby 9; Jacob Kerridge 8 and Ashley Manton 6. Charlie Martin and Mitchell Shrimpton did not drive today and will have their points  for today averaged after Sunday's final race of the series at Bendigo. On Sunday, Parker will drive the James Nottage trained Lezza Wild Child ($31.00) at Bendigo. Lezza Wild Child has not won since 2008. Of the front runners, the youngest and least experienced driver Corey Bell and Bendigo heat winner Leroy O'Brien look to be the firming favourites for the series. Bell will drive the Ballarat trained Im The Main Man ($1.60 fav) in the Final while O'Brien is aboard Nica Lady ($19.00), a last start Cobram winner. Albury trainer John Scott who prepared track record maker Franco Noriega at Bendigo in Race 1 of the Series will harness up Rollon Red Rocket ($2.30). Bendigo local Ashley Manton has the drive. The Series is restricted to young drivers who have not had a lot of opportunities in their fledgling careers. To be eligible the drivers must have beeen under the age of 25 years at the commencement of the current racing season last September and had less than 100-career-drives at acceptance time for the first race of the Series. - David Aldred

17 February 2012 - Chris Lang trained five-year-old New Zealand trotting mare Dealornodeal is the $3.50 second favourite in Sunday’s Girls On Fire Time Trials at Bendigo. But it’s more than her ranking in the TAB Sportsbet Fixed Odds betting market that has created interest in her Lord’s Raceway debut.  Not only is  Dealornodeal NZ now prepared by Australia’s premier trotting stable, the striking black mare is raced by one of Australasia's most successful galloping trainers, Graeme Rogerson. Five years ago Rogerson established a fully outfitted harness training stable, and now has a sizable interest in harness racing. He has set up a fully equipped and self sufficient harness training facility within his Tuhikaramea (Hamilton, NZ) based thoroughbred training establishment and formed a training partnership with well credentialed horseman Steven Reid. The daughter of Dream Vacation joined Lang’s Nagambie stable last month after a run of outs in New Zealand. Her last victory was back in October when she scored from a standing start over 2500 metres and she last raced in her home country on 6th January finishing last of six behind the classy trotter Sovereignty.  Her recent form has all been in top company against horses the calibre of I Can Doosit and Springbank Richard but Lang is reserving his opinion on whether the mare will measure up here. “She may be alright, we’ll wait and see,” he said. Lang has elected to time trial Dealornodeal NZ solo in her 8:00 timeslot on Sunday. Some of the competitors will use galloping pacemakers in the time trials – TAB Sportsbet will operate Fixed Odds Betting on the Girls On Fire Time Trials with the Chris Lang Jr. trained Miss Warbucks, the $1.90 favourite after an opening price yesterday of $1.75.  Cold Sister, the USA mare trained by David Aiken is now third favourite at $4:00. Group 1 winner Miss Warbucks races tonight in the Gr1 Dullard Cup at Tabcorp Park Melton. The first time trial (Last Sunrise NZ) is scheduled to start at 6:05pm, TT 2 (Candy Digger) at 6:32pm, TT 3 (Sultry Lady USA) - 6:52pm, TT 4 (Cold Sister USA) -7:00pm, TT 5 (Prettylilangeleyes) - 7:20pm, TT 6 (Dealornodeal) - 7:41pm, TT 7 - Miss Warbucks) 8:31pm

16 February 2012 - TAB Sportsbet are offering Fixed Odds Betting on Sunday's inaugural Aldebaran Park Girls On Fire Time Trials at Bendigo's Lord's Raceway. Betting commenced today with the favourite the Chris Lang Jr. trained Miss Warbucks at $1.75 to record the quickest mile. Seven mares including Gr 1 winner Miss Warbucks and USA mares Cold Sister and Sultry Lady and NZ mare Dealornodeal will contest the time Trials programmed between the regular Sunday night TAB races at Bendigo. The TAB will operate a Win Only market with multi betting and bet up until the first time trial (Last Sunrise NZ) scheduled to start at 6:05pm, TT 2 (Candy Digger) at 6:32pm, TT 3 (Sultry Lady USA) - 6:52pm, TT 4 (Cold Sister USA) -7:00pm, TT 5 (Prettylilangeleyes) - 7:20pm, TT 6 (Dealornodeal) - 7:41pm, TT 7 - Miss Warbucks) 8:31pm. The market will be suspended briefly on Friday night when Mis Warbucks races in the Group 1 Dullard Cup at Tabcorp Park Melton.

15 February 2012 - Courageous Annie, a Bendigo trial winner last Sunday will step back up to top company as she treks over the border on Friday with Queensland conditioner Darrel Graham itching to get to Sydney.
Graham will head to TABCORP Park, Menangle this Friday night with a strong team from his Fernvale base headed up by his star mare Courageous Annie who will contest the Gr.3 $40,000 Garrards Robin Dundee Stakes. Courageous Annie is headed to Sydney via Melbourne.
The Gr.1 winning Courage Under Fire mare was prepared at Anthony Crossland's Huntly property for her Victorian campaign which didn't go well but Graham is confident a return to her favourite track will see a marked improvement. “The Victorian campaign wasn’t the best for me but that can happen, Annie basically had no luck every time she stepped out.” Graham said. Courageous Annie finished fifth in the Graham Goffin Memorial in her first Victorian start and then ran a battling third at Bendigo before running seventh in fast time at her most recent start at TABCORP Park, Melton behind subsequent Terang Pacing Cup winner Onedin Hustler. “Her record in Sydney speaks for itself; she’s unbeaten at this track and has a ‘PB’ of 1;52.6 and that was after sitting parked for the mile as a 3yo so it proves how much she loves the big open spaces so I’m quite confident she can bounce quickly despite her little hiccups in Melbourne. “It’s the best track in Australia with great bends and a good surface, Annie has always felt very comfortable on that surface and it’s great for her hooves.” Graham left Courageous Annie in Victoria with Bendigo based Crossland who trialled the mare last Sunday in impressive style. “Anthony took her to Bendigo last weekend and the report was very pleasing, Annie worked to the front by the mile and finished off in 56.2 and 28.9 seconds and did it easily. “It’s a very good field this Friday but you would expect that when we’re all chasing a start in the Ladyship Mile, the draw isn’t the best on paper but in a way it takes the pressure off.
“We might end up being the hunter rather than being the hunted like we were in Melbourne.” Courageous Annie will arrive in Sydney tomorrow (Thursday).

15 February 2012 - Group 1 winning mare Miss Warbucks and USA speedster Cold Sister will be the two star attractions in Sunday’s inaugural Aldebaran Park Girls On Fire Time Trial Series for trotting mares at Bendigo’s Lord’s Raceway.  Seven mares have nominated to compete for the $5,000 stakes plus Aldebaran Park and Loddon Valley Stud stallion services in the 1609 metre Time Trials to be raced between the Club’s TAB races on Sunday evening. Trainer Chris Lang Jr. has will time trial two mares, Group 1 winner Miss Warbucks set to race the clock and the nine-year-old Sundon mare which has already banked over $142,000 and picked up the prize purse in the Gr 1 Trotters Mile at Menangle last November should be the star attraction. Another attraction will be the rising star square gaiter Cold Sister, the four-year-old US bred mare by Like A Prayer, trained for Cold Mountain Stud by David Aiken. Cold Sister is capable of clocking a sizzling mile and already has a 1:57.3 mile rate from a Melton victory in December. Aldebaran Park’s Duncan McPherson congratulated Bendigo on attracting the quality mares for the trotting promotion. “This is a great start for a new event with quality mares out to better their best times and to promote trotting, that’s what it’s all about,” McPherson said. Other interesting mares time trialling will be five-year-old US Conway Hall mare Sultry Lady, a David Aiken trainee that has won four of seven races this season and the former New Zealand mare Dealornodeal NZ, now with Chris Lang. Gillieston trained Prettylilangeleyes knows the Bendigo track well and will be driven by local ace Daryl Douglas in her time trial. Others time trialling are Ruth Shinn’s Last Sunrise and the Brian Kiesey trained Candy Digger. The first of the Girls On Fire Time Trials will start at about 6:05pm with the remainder between each subsequent race. The trotter’s time trialling are each expected to have a pacemaker, galloping alongside to encourage each of the mares to reach top speed. Sunday’s race meeting also features the Final of the HRTC Young Drivers Rising Star Series as the feature TAB race on the eight race card and a Pony Fancy Dress Competition which has attracted interest from around Victoria. - David Aldred

10 February 2012 - With 13 prizemenonety cheques from 13 starts three-year-old Bettors Delight filly La Machane oozes quality. The Greg Sugars trained and driven filly will start the number one pick in tonight's inaugural Warehouse Sales Gold Bracelet at Bendigo's annual Tabcorp Park race meeting at Melton. Raced by Nola and Jack Munnerley, La Machane has won nine races and banked $128,000. Her non winning performances include being runner-up in Cowgirls N Indians ABC Final at Tabcorp Park last August. The $7.000 race for fillies has attracted a more than handy line up with the Emma Stewart trained Beauty Secret (Chris Alford) shooting for five straight wins and the Bendigo bred and owned Real Bonus (David Aiken/Scott Dyer) in good form leading into this race. The Gold Bracelet race card features 8 races with the first commencing at 6:24pm.

1 February 2012 - A wide barrier draw has made a difficult task even more difficult for Bendigo trotter Billy The Brat in Saturday night's Group 1 Inter Dominion Trotting Championship Final. The Bill White trained Billy The Brat, a 100-1 shot, snuck into the field for $250,000 Final at Melton with a creditable fourth placing behind deadheaters I Can Doosit and I Didnt Do It in last Saturday night’s final round of heats at Ballarat. The tradesman-like performance was enough to qualify the 7yo Huntly squaregaiter for the historical Championship decider but the White's who have done a fantastic job to get Billy The Brat into the Final were hoping for a better barrier draw. Billy The Brat drew 11 on the second row for the Final. The Inter Dominion will be easily the biggest race Billy The Brat has contested with each of the rig's seven victories on Victorian country tracks. The son of Keystone Salute has had 34 starts, winning a total $42,000 in stakes. Kiwi squaregaiters dominate the top rankings but there are a couple of Victorian's with real winning prospects. Seelite Window's and Doors' Michael Taranto will be represented by a favourite in I Didnt Do it who has drawn perfectly at gate 2. Jodi Quinlan drives I Didnt Do It for Merv Williamson. Defending Inter Dominion champ I Can Doosit (gate 4) heads the table for champion Christchurch conditioner Mark Purdon after winning both of his heats at Shepparton and Ballarat. Fellow New Zealander’s Springbank Richard (9), Stylish Monarch (6) and Sovereignty (13) are next on the list with four-time Australian Trotting Grand Prix champ Sundon’s Gift (7) seventh on 19.5 points. - David Aldred

27 January 2012 - It certainly seems to be the weekend for horses looking to increase their winning streaks. The two most notable are champion thoroughbred Black Caviar and outstanding standardbred pacer Sushi Sushi which are each on track for 17 straight unbeaten performances. At Charlton on Sunday two horses won’t get the press of the other two star equine headline makers but they will race for handsome prizemoney cheques at the major country meeting. The St Arnaud Club host the finals of the Warehouse Sales Central Victorian Pacing & Trotting Championships and both finals have brought together outstanding fields with two horses, Rejuvenation and Galleons Prospect standing out with winning streaks. The South Australian trained trotter Rejuvenation shoots for 8 wins in a row in the $30,000 Group 2 Trotting Final and former New Zealander Galleons Prospect is out to keep its unbeaten six win streak in Australia in place. There is no doubt that the Central Victorian Trotting Championship Final is Rejuvenation’s toughest assignment. Trainer Ray Goble brought the Wind Cries Maori gelding to Charlton for the Boort Club heat earlier this month and with talented Adelaide reinsman Ryan Hryhorec steering he got the cash with Rejuvenation downing Enjoy A Coldie and Living Bonus. Elsu gelding Galleons Prospect hasn’t put a foot wrong for the Stewart stable and Chris Alford will drive the impressive pacer in the $30,000 Group 3 Pacing Championship. From the number two gate on the front row he will be highly fancied to continue on his winning way. The Central Victorian Pacing Championship program starts at 4:42PM on Sunday at the Charlton track. The Club has plenty of family activities planned with lucky draw prizes including a big screen TV and an IPOD for the kid’s competition.

14 January 2012 - Harness racing reinsman Leigh Sutton always thought he’d share the thrill of his first drive in his hometown cup with fiancee Tiffany Murray.That dream was taken away from him in October when 22-year-old Tiffany passed away after losing a brave battle with cancer.
Tonight, Leigh achieves his ambition of driving in the Bendigo Cup when he partners the David Aiken-trained Smudge Bromac in the $50,000 event at Lord’s Raceway. Tiffany won’t be trackside to share the thrill, but Sutton knows she will be with him in spirit. “Everything I do is dedicated to Tiffany," Leigh said yesterday. "I wouldn’t be doing what I’m doing now without her... she was a superstar. “I couldn’t have asked for anything more from her.
“I’ve always wanted to win a Bendigo Cup and winning a Bendigo Cup for her would be extra special.”
With the help of family, friends and the harness racing industry, Sutton and his one-year-old daughter Milla are getting on with their lives. Sutton continues to build his driving reputation, while Milla has taken her first steps.“Milla’s flat out at the moment,} Leigh said proudly. “She’s running around now and talking. She doesn’t understand the situation and she probably won’t until she goes to school.
“She’s enjoying life, which is great." In Leigh and Tiffany’s time of need the harness racing industry raised more than $100,000 to assist with medical bills and that assistance hasn’t stopped since Tiffany’s passing. “The harness racing industry continues to amaze me with the support they’ve shown," Sutton said. “Even in the past few months the harness racing community has continued to support the trusts. Milla and I owe them a lot.” Smudge Bromac is one of the outsiders in tonight’s Cup, but Leigh gives it a chance of knocking off its more fancied rivals. “My job will be to give him a nice run just in behind the speed and hope we can sprint over the top of them late,’’ Leigh said. “It’s a good race, but if we get a bit of luck you never know.” If anyone deserves a touch of luck tonight it’s Leigh Sutton - Adam Bourke (Bendigo Advertiser)

16 January 2012 - The immediate racing future of star Bendigo trotter Will Trapper will be decided this morning. The 10-year-old was a late scratching from Saturday night’s Maori Mile at Bendigo because of swelling in his near-side hind leg.Trainer John Noonan will jog the horse this morning before deciding if his stable star will contest next Saturday night’s heats of the Inter-Dominion trotting series at Shepparton. If the horse is not 100 per cent, Noonan will not risk him in the the prestigious series. A winner of the Group One Bill Collins Mile three starts ago, Will Trapper was third favourite for the series before Saturday’s injury concern. In a surprise development, Harness Racing Victoria have announced the addition of an extra heat for this year’s Seelite Windows and Doors Inter Dominion Trotting Championship. The shock revelation coincides with the release of third and final rankings for the iconic series and will mean three preliminaries are run and won at Shepparton this Saturday night rather than two. The move is a genuine gesture of goodwill from the sport’s governing body in this state and will ensure 36 squaregaiters rather than 24 will get their chance at ID glory on February 4 at Melton. Reigning Inter Dominion king I Can Doosit heads final rankings for the trans Tasman Championship ahead of four-time Australian Grand Prix champion Sundons Gift.

11 January 2012 - The top fancies will start on the front row in Saturday night’s $50,000 PETstock Bendigo Pacing Cup.Horsham Cup placegetter Decorated Jasper should feature strongly in the Group Two race after drawing barrier one, while star Bendigo mare Make Mine Cullen faces a tougher task from barrier seven.
New Zealand bred gelding Our Malabar will start from barrier three with the Lisa and David Miles-trained 2010 Chariots Of Fire winner Villagem in barrier five.
The 2009 Bendigo Cup-winner Sammy Maguire has drawn barrier six for his New Zealand trainer/driver Mark Purdon..Bendigo Harness Racing Club general manager David Aldred said yesterday Decorated Jasper – second in Sunday’s Horsham Cup – looms as the frontrunner. “He’s racing extremely well, from that draw he’s going to be very hard to beat,” Aldred said. "The pacer is likely to get the run of the race behind the speed and have the last shot in the straight via the sprint lane." But Aldred said the Bendigo Cup would be a good betting race with many horses in with a live chance. “Our Malabar has also drawn very, very well, while Make Mine Cullen and Sammy Maguire are two very classy horses,’’ he said. “The outside line is not going to affect Make Mine Cullen." “Sammy Maguire is probably a bit of a dark horse, we haven’t seen him racing over here for a while. “I think it’s going to be a brilliant betting race, with the horses that we’ve got here it’s a really open field. “At Lord’s Raceway the draw isn’t so important as some of the other tracks because it’s a wider track. There’s plenty of racing room with well banked turns.” Make Mine Cullen enters the race in fine form after winning three of its past four starts, but the Glenn Douglas-trained mare will have history against her on Saturday night. No central Victorian-trained horse has won the Cup since Robric Jonboy in 2004, while the last mare to win was Mother Courage in 2002. Make Mine Cullen finished an unlucky ninth in last year’s Bendigo Cup. Meanwhile, the highly-fancied I Didn’t Do It has not accepted for Saturday night’s other feature race - the Aldebaran Park Maori Mile. Sedgwick trotter Will Trapper will be a the favourite despite drawing barrier seven. The John Noonan-trained gelding has two wins and a third place in its last three starts, but should be challenged by Good Thanks and New Zealand horse Miss Warbucks.“The rest of these horses are capable of winning it as well. “(Will Trapper’s wide draw) makes his job a little more difficult, but John Noonan has got him going sensationally,” Aldred said. “It’s a good betting race, Will Trapper being drawn wide opens up the betting.” Aldred is hoping for a bumper crowd of more than 3000 people at Lord’s Raceway in Junortoun on Saturday night. A trip to Paris is up for grabs for one lucky racegoer. Mr Aldred said people needed to collect a coupon from the Bendigo Advertiser and place it in the barrel on course to be in the running for the Paris holiday. “I reckon we’ll get a sensational crowd to see some of the year’s best racing in Bendigo - I just hope the weather is good,” he said. First of nine races on Bendigo Pacing Cup night is at 6.30pm when the Mitavite Formula 3YO Pace final is run. The Gates to the course will be open from 4:00pm. - Travis King (Bendigo Advertiser)

13 January 2012 - Lisa Miles is confident Villagem can reproduce his best form in tomorrow night’s PETstock Bendigo Pacing Cup at Lord’s Raceway. Villagem stamped itself as one of Australia’s best pacers in 2010, winning the Group One Chariots Of Fire in Sydney and the Group One 4YO Breeders Crown Final.
The progression to grand circuit racing looked a formality for the the son of Village Jasper. However, 2011 was a year of frustration for the Miles stable, with Villagem running one placing from 11 starts in the calendar year after battling a series of allergies. "He’s only the second or third horse we’ve had that had this kind of problem, so it was pretty frustrating," Miles said. "It took us a while to work out that it was an allergy issue. We had to keep giving him blood tests to try and work out what the problem was. "Once we got the answer it was a case of managing the problem. "With the medication we needed to treat him we couldn’t race him.We put racing on hold, treated him properly and then waited for the medication to get out of his system.
"It’s the trials and tribulations of having a good horse... everyone has to go through these problems at times." Villagem showed he’s lost no speed by winning two recent trials in impressive style at Melton and Shepparton. "Even though we couldn’t race him, we kept him ticking over at home so he maintained his fitness," Miles said. "His two trial wins were a relief more than anything. It was a relief to see him somewhere near his best and that we’re back on track. It’s such a high level that he has to race in these days and you can’t afford to be five per cent off your game. "The horse has showed us that he is healthy again and ready to race." Tomorrow night’s $50,000 Bendigo Pacing Cup will give Miles a better indication of where Villagem stands. Polemarker Decorated Jasper and standout mare Make Mine Cullen will be the testing material in an even race. "It’s nice to see the horse has drawn barrier five and not the back row," Miles said. "It gives us the option of going forward at the start.
"You really can’t disregard any horse in the field, they’ve all earned their spot. "Decorated Jasper from the draw is a threat. Captain Joy is going well and Sammy Maguire must be going well for Mark Purdon to bring him over from New Zealand. "Make Mine Cullen has got her form on the board. Hopefully, we’re thereabouts at the finish." - Adam Bourke (Bendigo Advertiser)

10 January 2012 - Saturday night’s $50,000 PETstock Bendigo Pacing Cup shapes as the most even in modern times. Nominations for the Group Two feature were released yesterday and while the Cup lacks a genuine superstar it will be a good betting race. Star Bendigo mare Make Mine Cullen, Horsham Cup placegetter Decorated Jasper, the Lance Justice-trained Our Malabar, 2009 Bendigo Cup-winner Sammy Maguire and the David Miles-trained Villagem head the nominations. Bendigo Harness Racing Club general manager David Aldred expects the Cup field to stand up well when acceptances are taken this morning. “From the trainers I’ve spoken to, all the better class horses in the nominations will run in Bendigo,’’ Aldred said. “It should be a great race. Make Mine Cullen is going well, Our Malabar is a good horse, Villagem has been better at his past two starts and Decorated Jasper is probably the most in-form horse out of the lot of them. “It would have been nice to have a Smoken Up or Melpark Major in the field, but we still have a very competitive race. “It will be a great night of harness racing.” The Glenn Douglas-trained Make Mine Cullen will be trying to be the first central Victorian-trained horse to win the Bendigo Cup since Robric Jonboy in 2004. She has history against her, with the last mare to win the Bendigo Cup being the Bruce Morgan-trained Mother Courage in 2002. Make Mine Cullen, who finished a luckless ninth in last year’s Bendigo Cup, has won three of her past four starts, including a dominant victory in the Group Three George Johnson Pace in Hobart on New Year’s Day. Some good luck at this morning’s barrier draw will probably see Make Mine Cullen start favourite in pre-post Cup markets ahead of Decorated Jasper. Saturday night’s other feature event – the Maori Mile – has attracted a classy group of trotters. Rejuvenated Sedgwick trotter Will Trapper will be the horse to beat. The John Noonan-trained trotter has won two of his past three starts in superb fashion. His biggest danger will be I Didn’t Do It who is coming off a win in the Group One Australian Trotting Grand Prix. “The Maori Mile should be a great race,’’ Aldred said. “Most of these trotters will use the Maori Mile as a lead-up to the Inter-Dominion heats.” - Adam Bourke (Bendigo Advertiser)

8 January 2011 - Spirit Of Bendigo, better known as the Race for Fun Club filly Addy made a great track debut in the official trials at Bendigo today. Racing from a standing start over 1650 metres, Addy began well for her driver Paul Campbell and led through every section before being nabbed right on the line. Addy finished second, beaten a head by Mestari (Joelene MycSwain). Campbell said he was pleased with the trial and will look for another 'qualifier' in a couple of weeks time before taking her to the races. A big crowd of Race for Fun Club members were at the Trials to see Addy's race and they weren't disappointed. The trial was delayed by a track inspection due to a very heavy shower of rain causing issues with the racing surface. After the trial, the fifth of 10, stewards cancelled the remainder of events. 

7 January 2012 - The rejuvenation of veteran trotting star Will Trapper propelled him another step closer to the most unlikely Inter Dominion glory at Melton last night.
The 10-year-old came from last to down many of Australia’s best trotters in the $15,000 Swift Signs Free-For-All and in doing so moved into second favoritism for the Interdom series which starts at Shepparton on January 21. Almost forgotten as an open class force just a few months ago, Will Trapper has looked back to his glory form of three years ago and  last night’s win in the hands of Nathan Jack was the equal of anything he has achieved in his career. He was allowed to settle early as boom trotter Im Dejazzman poured the pressure on before millionaire trotting hero Sundons Gift attacked at the bell. But just when it looked like the latter was set to return to winning form, Will Trapper exploded around the field three wide and raced to a three and a half metre win over Save A Sixpence, with Sundons Gift fading late to third.
The win was impressive enough to see Will Trapper promoted to $7 second favourite for the Inter Dominion by TAB Sportsbet, behind defending champion I Can Doosit, at $2.60. Will Trapper’s 2:0.3 mile rate for the 2240m mobile made him the most impressive winner of the night. Sedgwick trainer John Noonan will now start Will Trapper in Saturday's Maori Mile before tackling the Inter Dominion heats. 

5 January 2012 - Champion local trainer Glenn Douglas said last night that the State's best mare Make Mine Cullen will be fit and ready to tackle next week's $50,000 Group 2 PEtstock Bendigo Pacing Cup. "She's as good as gold, she will be ready for the Cup," Douglas declared. Make Mine Cullen was a scratching from the Group 1 Victoria Cup last month after suffering a deep seated hoof abscess.  The mare was going into that feature race off the back of her second Tailamade Lombo victory. Douglas shipped her to Tasmania on New years day and teh mare won the feature George Johnson in Hobart. Raced on lease by Anderson Racing, Make Mine Cullen is already the winner of $635,000 in stakes. The Christian Cullen mare has won three of her last four starts. Her last Country Cup triumph was in the Group 2 Kilmore Cup in October 2010. - David Aldred

31 December 2011 - Dreams could come true at the Bendigo Pacing Cup.Flight Centre, in conjunction with the Bendigo Harness Racing Club and Harness Racing Victoria, is giving away a trip to Paris worth almost $5000.
Bendigo Harness Racing Club general manager David Aldred said the promotion was designed to boost crowds at the Bendigo Pacing Cup on January 14. “We want to get people excited about it,” he said. “This is our biggest day of the year and we want people to come along and be part of it.” People can enter the competition by cutting an entry coupon out of the Bendigo Advertiser (commencing today on page 61 of the paper). The winner must be on track on January 14 to claim their prize. “People can cut the coupon out to go in a barrel on the night – it’s just a lucky draw,” Mr Aldred said. “It’s probably the first time we’ve done something like this and it’s a pretty major prize. “It’s a bit of a dream holiday really. Most (women), and men too, dream about going to Paris one day so this opportunity to win the trip is fantastic. “The holiday is for two people and some accommodation and tours will be included in the prize.” Flight Centre Bendigo manager Craig Bentley said Paris was a top travel destination. “As everyone knows it’s the city of love,” he said. “So it’s ideal for a couple’s getaway. It’s a great prize.” The Bendigo Pacing Cup is expected to attract about 5000 people. “There will be a lot of entertainment on the night for the whole family,” Mr Aldred said. “It’s probably one of the cheapest forms of entertainment.” - Hannah Knight

13 December 2011 - Village Patrol won’t be the favourite for the fourth race at Bendigo’s Lord’s Raceway on Thursday but he’s guaranteed to be the most popular horse on track with the children.  About one hour before the eight-year-old gelding steps out for the Schweppes Pace (2150m) the Roma Pocock-trained son of Village Jasper will have the honour bringing the man of the month, Santa Claus to the track. Raced by the Harness Racing Industry training Centre at Lord’s Raceway, Village Patrol is frequently used as the horse that trainee drivers learn their skills with. On Thursday night he will be harnessed up in the tandem sulky with Roma at the reins and Santa as the VIP passenger making his delivery of sweets to all the children on the track. “He is the right horse for the job, he has done it all before,” Pocock said.  In his race on Thursday night Village Patrol will start as a long shot, despite having the services of the State's premier reinsman Daryl Douglas. Village Patrol has not been far away at recent starts but the pacer has not won since September 2010.

10 December 2011 - Sedgwick trained Will Trapper has made a remarkable comeback to trotting with a sensational victory in Saturday night's Group 1 Aldebaran Park Bill Collins Mile at Cranbourne. 
The win was a outstanding achievement for veteran local trainer John Noonan who harnessed up the 10-year-old son of Keystone Salute for its first triumph since 2009. Will Trapper was at the top of his game three years ago when he won his first Bill Collins Mile, a heat of the Inter Dominion Trotting Championship and placed second in the 2008 Inter Dominion Trotting Championship Final. But after finishing second in the Grand Prix at Melton in December 2009, the squaregaiter went amiss with a suspensory injury and it has been a long road back,with Noonan never giving up on his stable star. Will Trapper's career was briefly resurrected earlier this year where he had one start for a 4th placing in Bendigo's Aldebaran Park Maori Mile last January. Then last month Noonan had the oldstager back at the Bendigo trials and gave hime a start in a Bendigo C2 - C4 Pace before getting him back to what he does best - trot. In Saturday night's Bill Collins, his second up performance, Will Trapper was kept at the back of the pack by Nathan Jack and the driver patiently waited before steering Will Trapper five wide with a searching run. Will Trapper gobbled up those in front of him and nailed the race leader and favourite I Didnt Do It a stride before the post to win by 1.4 metres at odds of $48.00. Aleppo Sunrise (Lisa Miles - $17.90) rounded out the top three finishing ahead of stablemate Sundons Gift (Chris Lang - $4.50). Will Trapper was ranked 14th in the nominations for the 2012 Inter Dominion Trotting Championship. Highlighted by a total purse of $360,000, the very last edition of the Inter Dominion Trot will be staged over three nights with heats at Shepparton and Ballarat before the Final at Melton on Saturday 4 February. - David Aldred

10 December 2011 - Jukebox Music kicked off what could be an unforgettable weekend of Choice Hotels Country Cup action for Strathfieldsaye brothers Glenn and Daryl Douglas with an upset win in Friday night’s $12,000 Warehouse Sales Wedderburn Pacing Cup at Melton’s Tabcorp Park. Twenty-four hours before stable star Make Mine Cullen goes in search of a watershed win in the Group 1 Decron Cranbourne Cup, Jukebox Music scored a breakthrough win in the 2760-metre standing start test.The victory snapped a nine-race run of outs for the former Sydneysider, who trainer Glenn Douglas said was deserving of the feature win.“You like winning the country cups, or I certainly do, and this horse has been thereabouts for so long and been all around it but just hasn’t broken through,” he said.“I thought it was nearly his race at Bendigo two starts back, but he just copped a little check that cost him, and for him to sprint through like he did tonight, it was very pleasing to see.”Jukebox Music, who had Daryl Douglas in the cart, came from a seemingly impossible position to provide the Douglases with their first victory in this season’s Choice Hotels Country Cups Carnival.The son of Christian Cullen began safely from his 10m handicap and initially landed three horses back along the pegs, but was shuffled to four-back when Onedin Hustler took up the running from stablemate Vito Vito at the halfway point.Glenn Douglas thought his hopes were shot at that point, but Jukebox Music’s race opened up when Mister Douglas, who travelled three-back the pegs, shifted off in search of a run at the 250m.That allowed Jukebox Music ($13) to build a full head of steam by the time he got to the sprint lane, which carried him to a neck victory over Onedin Hustler ($10) with $2.60 favourite Flying Pocketlands, who trailed Jukebox Music throughout, storming into third a further four metres away.The final quarter was covered in an impressive 27.9 seconds, which followed a 28.4secs third split and a 60.9secs first half of the last mile. The mile rate was a handy 2:00.5.“When we ended up four back I thought we were in pain but when Mister Douglas pulled off the fence I thought that’d help our cause and it was just a matter of getting up the straight if he was good enough, which he was,” Douglas said.In addition to Saturday night’s Cranbourne Cup, the $25,000 Stawell Retravision Stawell Cup will be run on Sunday and while Glenn doesn’t have a runner, Daryl will drive in-form Brooke Hansen-trained gelding Arber, who will start from the coveted inside barrier.Friday night’s Tabcorp Park card also saw the running of the $10,000 Richmond & Associates Wedderburn Cup, which saw the Peter Lane-trained-and-driven Eisenhower prove too strong for Armed Guard and Afriti.The gelding, who was specked in Inter Dominion Trotting Championship betting in the lead-up to the Wedderburn feature, made it two country cup wins from his past four starts following St Arnaud Cup success last month.

6 December 2011 - With the new season juveniles just getting going the Kilmore trained Trillion Lombo will step out as the only race winner in Thursday night’s Choicehotels.com.au 2yo Pace at Lord’s Raceway Bendigo.
Raced and trained by Rosemary Weidenbach, Trillion Lombo was an impressive winner on debut on his home track last week in the first two-year-old race of the season. The chestnut son of Saab was given a perfect drive by Kevin Weidenbach Jr and raced home in 29.7 seconds to score by 3.1 metres from Amelia Marie (Rita Burnett) which used the sprint lane to dash home late with Cheval Charette (Haydon Gray) close up in third place. Trillion Lombo has come up with a tough draw for his second assignment and will start off the outside of the second row in the 2yo Pace. But the chestnut colt looks one right out of the box and is bred to be smart being from the same family as Group 1 winners Hilarion Star and Flashing Star and Inter Dominion heat winner Faking It. The Choicehotels.com.au 2yo Pace is race two on the seven race card due and is set to go at 7:00pm.

2 December 2011 - Harness racing enthusiast Noel Ridge has joined the Committee of the Bendigo Harness Racing Club. He was co-opted onto the Committee following the resignation of Joe Page. A  teacher, staff developer, literacy consultant, former Assistant Principal and Principal, who was involved in consultancy and staff development work with districts and schools in the United States between 1993 - 2009, Noel  is well travelled and lived in New York enabling him regular attendance at The Meadowlands, Yonkers and Freehold tracks where he saw remarkable horses like Jenna’s Beach Boy, Cam’s Card Shark,  Western Ideal and his son RocknRoll Hanover racing, and legendary drivers including John Campbell, Ron Pierce, Mike LaChance and  Bill O’Donnell. He is currently Manager Literacy Leadership for the School Improvement team Loddon Mallee Region of the Department of Education and Early Childhood. Noel’s professional writing appears in books, a CDROM series, curriculum guides for school systems, curriculum plans for schools, teacher guides, and many articles. He is well known as a student of harness racing bloodlines and his family owned and bred a number of horses in the 70s and 80s, including Stormy Ridge, winner at Moonee Valley and promising, but ill fated 3yos Limerick Castle and Mount Akeley. Noel  served as secretary of the Bendigo Owners Trainers Drivers association in the 1980s. He loves harness racing and has a special interest in standardbred pedigrees, and breeding theories. "I am keen to work to educate young people and those coming to the track for the first time, so they understand Harness Racing as a sport, and can gain the same enjoyment as my family  and I have derived over many years," he said.

20 November 2011 - Bendigo featured prominently in Saturday night's Gordon Rothacker Medal Awards for Country Clubs at Tabcorp Park, Melton.
The Bendigo Harness Racing Club celebrated a win in the Best Local Media category with the successful Race for Fun Club media voted a winning promotion. Clerk of the Course Keith Pratt received a Distinguished Service medal for his lifetime of service to Bendigo Harness Racing, Bendigo's Barry Quigley also received a Distinguished Service Medal for his services as a Committeeman with the Charlton Harness Racing Club, and Bendigo Advertiser newspaper editor Rod Case won the award for the Best Country Feature Story - "Merv The Entertainer", his story remembering Bendigo's late great Merv Dillon.
Ted Demmler was presented with the year's most prestigious award, the Gordon Rothacker Medal. Demmler joins an elite line up of Victorian harness racing identities that have won the award since it was first presented to Ian McCallum in 2002. Last years winner Arthur Graham was on hand to present Demmler with his medal.  Other winners have been 2009 - Les Chapman;  2008 - Bruce & Elizabeth Clarke; 2007 - Peter Manning; 2006 - Matt Donaldson; 2005 - Ron Pocock; 2004 - Jim Barker; 2003 - Geoff Hill; 2002 - Ian McCallum. A true luminary of our sport throughout a career spanning five decades, Demmler accumulated more than 2000 training wins and 3000 triumphs in the sulky, including 15 seasons where he drove at least 100 winners. He was a four-time Australian Driving Champion, first achieving the honour in 1979 before notching a hat-trick of domination from 1982-84. Demmler’s driving career ended with a fall in 2005, but the reinsman was far from lost to the sport, retaining his training and ownership interests. Last season, Demmler celebrated his first Group 1 win as an owner when Charlie Machsheen bolted clear on July 8 in the 2YO Colts & Geldings Final at Tabcorp Park.

17 November 2011 - Champion Nagambie trained trotter Let Me Thru will miss the entire summer carnival, the 2012 Inter Dominion and planned international races, Chris Lang Jr. announced today.  The trainer/driver said that Let Me Thru "has been diagnosed as a "roarer". "He will need an operation and three months off and he will not contest any of the summer carnival, compete in the Inter Dominion or represent Australia in next year's Elitloppet," Lang Jr said. The stable has their fingers crossed that Let Me Thru will come back from this set back. "Everyone here is pretty disappointed with this, but I guess now that we've found the problem we can take action and move past it. The only positive to come out of having this issue as opposed to a muscle/ligament injury is that it doesn't affect his ability. He will either come back 100% or not at all. So I hope for all connected with the horses sake, he comes back fresh and firing early next year." Lang Jr. said. - David Aldred

17 November 2011 - Records went in all directions at the opening meeting of Bendigo’s Lord’s Raceway 57 years ago. It was a sensational debut for night racing with an on-course attendance record established for a provincial trotting track and a long shot winner racing into the history books.
Experts praised the new venue and rated the racetrack and floodlights as better than any other in Melbourne. “The lighting of the track is par excellence, and the paddock, car park, layout of the bookmakers stands and the lighting of the same, are far superior to any in Melbourne,” Trotting scribe ‘Rastus’ wrote in the Footscray Trotting Round Up. Another trotting writer, the then voice of trotting Bruce Skeggs described Lord's Raceway, the first half-mile circuit in Victoria to be lit, as a "dream". On Sunday the Bendigo Harness Racing Club celebrates the anniversary of the historical inaugural race night with the first official running of the Anniversary Trophy on the Club's state-of-the-art track at a twilight race meeting commencing at 5:51pm. A good crowd is expected for the evening’s racing which will feature the main trophy race and a special track workout between races one and two by the yet to be named charity 2yo filly “Addy” raced by the Bendigo Advertiser’s 550 Race for Fun Club members. But even the year’s best attendance for the Harness Club could not go anywhere near matching the 14,000 people that were on track on Wednesday night, 17 November 1954 at Lord’s Raceway. The Bendigo Advertiser newspaper reported that Whittlesea mare New Boreen won the first race under lights and landed a big betting plunge from 5-1 into 7-4 favourite but it was James Dillon that grabbed the headlines, establishing a record that may never be broken when he won the feature Galvin Handicap.  James Dillon, the backmarker on a 48 yard handicap, paid a dividend of 412/1. Only two five shilling (50c) winning tote tickets were placed on James Dillon, a former Western Australian pacer who was posted at odds of 33/1 in the bookmakers betting ring. It was reported that from 6:00pm onwards cars streamed out of Bendigo to the raceway, a seven kilometre distance, and policemen on duty had a busy time directing traffic before and after the event. There was a traffic jam for almost the entire trip. At 9:15pm, almost an hour and a half after the first race was run cars were still entering the track bumper to bumper. Lord’s Raceway filled to capacity and people were turned away. Some of Victoria’s best stables were represented on Bendigo harness racing’s opening night which featured a seven race program with field numbers of up to 24 starters in a single race. Local trainer/driver Ted Zimmer was just a young tacker then and he drove in three races. Just 24 years old then, Ted likened the opening night to a big night at the Melbourne Showgrounds. “The people came from everywhere, don’t know how many actually paid to get into the races but they were lined deep around the entire track, it was a terrific atmosphere,” Zimmer said. Another young driver competing was Des Rothacker, who still attends the races as a BHRC member most weeks at Bendigo. “I had four drives (on opening night) and didn’t do any good on any of them,” Rothacker said. “The track was like driving at a colosseum with the crowd giving you plenty of advice as they lined the fences around the track.”The driver’s list in the race book read like a who’s who of trotting with Gordon, Albert and Des Rothacker, Ken Pocock, Albert and Neville Gath, Hugh and Colin Redwood, Bob Knight, Alf Simons, Lou Welsh, Clarrie Long, Phonse Hickey, Des Ritchie, Dal Fitzpatrick, Norm Mannix, Bob Parker, Des Mann, Ted Zimmer and Hec Dunbar among those who drove at the Bendigo meeting.   Sunday’s Anniversary Trophy will become a feature race in Bendigo with the Club’s marketing chairman Darren McPhail explaining that the Club intends to develop the race into a major Cup race in years to come. “We are proud of our heritage and we want to celebrate our Anniversary each year,” McPhail said. “Our General Manager is seeking a major sponsor for the race so that we can elevate the status of this important Cup in the future. It’s a really good opportunity for the Club to develop another feature race day and increase our profile.” - David Aldred

9 November 2011 - Sudden Cardiac Arrest can strike anyone, at any age, at any time anywhere – often without prior warning. Victims may include industry participants, work colleagues, business associates, visitors, family and friends, all with a lot to live for. The time to first shock is the most important factor in deciding the outcome of Sudden Cardiac Arrest. With this in mind the Bendigo Harness Racing sector has purchased an automated HeartStart First Aid Defibrillator for use at Lord's Raceway. The defibrillator jointly funded by the Harness Racing Training Centre, Bendigo Owners, Trainers and Drivers Association and the Bendigo Harness Racing Club has been installed adjacent to the race day acceptance office, a location where it can be quickly and efficiently used in case of Sudden Cardiac Arrest, on or off the track. Simple to use with voice automated instruction, the defibrillator has demonstrated a positive impact on survival. The new technology enables first aiders to respond with a life saving shock within the first 2 to 3 critical minutes, when survival is so much more likely. BHRC General Manager David Aldred said the defibrillator is designed for easy use by everyone, at any time. "It gives you the confidence in knowing that you can save a life even before help arrives," he said. "Its an important piece of equipment for any sporting facility."

6 November 2011 - Kilmore trainer and driver Pat Carrafa steered 5yo gelding Shnappy to victory in the feature Ken Pocock Memorial Pace at Bendigo on Saturday night, completing a double on the seven race card.
Carrafa also scored with 4yo Village Jasper mare Tess Finnegan in the 3BO FM Pace for C0 class (mares) over 1650 metres. In the Ken Pocock, Shnappy, baking up from an eye catching third to Flash of Freed at Kilmore last week, was given a good run in transit and swept up three wide on the swing into the straight. After hitting the top the mare defied the swoopers Longtan Luke, posted six wide on the bend, and Hall of Fame which overcasme a tardy start. Shnappy a son of Totally Western and So Stunning, posted a winning mile rate of 1:56.1 in the 1650 metre event. Tess Finnegan led throughout from the pole to break her maiden status at start number 12. She  defeated Karim Vale which trailed from inside the second line, having every opportunity to run her down, with Dejayangel (one/two – three wide last lap) rounding ou the top three. The mile rate 1-58.3.
Ken Pocock's career in harness racing spanned more than 40 years and the highly skilled local horseman accumulated over 1400 winners during that time with names such as Royal Gaze (50 wins) Fosmar (50 wins) Roma Hanover, Saunders Arthur and Game Oro gracing his stables. Pocock won numerous Cups including the A G Hunter Cup, the Shepparton Cup (5 times) Ouyen Cup (4 times) Mildura Cup (twice), the Italian Cup and the Moomba Cup. He also drove in eight Inter Dominions, finishing third on Game Oro in Preux Chevalier's 1985 Final in Melbourne. - David Aldred

5     November 2011 - Kilmore Cup winner Bitobliss scored a mind boggling victory in Friday night’s $50,000 (Group 2) SEW-Eurodrive – The Legends over 1720 metres at Tabcorp Park Melton. Trained and driven by Congupna’s Scott Stewart, Bitobliss (Blissful Hall/Petite Alto) was trapped wide from outside the front line before going forward to park outside the pacemaker Melpark Major at the bell. Joining the leader on straightening, Bitobliss had the audacity to stride clear in the shadows of the post and win unextended in a rate of 1-53.2 from Melpark Major who had no answer at the finish, with Our Malabar third after trailing the leader. Glenn Douglas wore the Race for Fun Club colours into fourth place on Our Hillview Gold. Nagambie’s Chris Lang knocked quaddie punters for a “six” at Melton after winning the $20,000 (Group 3) NAB Scotch Notch Memorial for Trotters TMO or better over 2240 metres with $55.80 outsider Groovey Bromac. Driver Lisa Miles always had  Groovey Bromac a 7yo gelded son of Muscles Yankee and Groovey Baby close to the lead then ambled up to the front runners on straightening, proving too strong at the finish for a parked Eisenhower. - With the files of Len Baker

5 November 2011 - More than $10,000 was raised at "A Night for Tiff" held at the Hotel Shamrock on Friday night. The Federation Room at the Hotel Shamrock was packed out for the fund-raiser for the late Tiffany Murray. The  popular 22yo passed away last month leaving behind her reinsman finance Leigh Sutton and  their one-year-old  daughter Milla.   The Bendigo event which featured auctions, silent auctions and raffles was hosted by 3BO radio personalities. It follows other successful harness racing industry fund-raisers at Mildura, Melton and Shepparton in the past month.

26 October 2011 - The locals starred at Lord's Raceway on Tuesday night winning all three trotting races on the eight event card. Bendigo Harness Racing Training Centre's trainer Roma Pocock harnessed up the first of the trio, winning the Freedom Tank Trotters Handicap with 10-year-old Mister Jonas, driven by Daryl Douglas. Mister Jonas which doubles a a training horse for students at the school training centre led from start to finish. Father and son team Len and Graeme Maher partnered up for the second Trot victory with their homebred ultra consistent perfomer Jindalbie in the BHRC Members Trot and Sedgwick's Ross Graham made it a Bendigop clean swep in the trotting races, winning the BHRC Ladies Committee Trot with Completed Family. Mister Jonas win was his first in two years with his previous triumph at Maryborough back in November 2009. The gelded son of Extrovert is a veteran of 104 race starts and  has now recorded six lifetime victories. Eight-year-old gelding Jindalbie has now won two of 38 starts but has also registered nine second placings and been third five times. "He's no champion but he is honest," trainer Len Maher said. Driver Graeme thought he may have added another runner up prize to Jindalbie's record. "Right on the line I thought she (Prettygirl Lassie) may have got us," he said. Huntly's Ashley Manton used the sprint lane and Prettygirl Lassie speared home hard just failing by a half head. The Graham family owned Completed Family broke through for its first victory in eight race starts. The Keystone Salute gelding started the race favourite and ginished strongly. - David Aldred

24 October 2011 - Congupna horseman Scott Stewart has celebrated a triumphant, prodigal homecoming by partnering brilliant five-year-old Bitobliss to success in the $70,000 SEW-Eurodrive Kilmore Cup. A former Kilmore native when apprenticed to the all-conquering Knight stable some two decades ago, Stewart remedied a moderate record in his former hometown feature with a horse who may yet return him to the scene of his greatest moment in the sport. The second youngest reinsman to taste Inter Dominion glory when steering Jodie’s Babe to success in Perth’s 1989 series final, Stewart may well be headed back across the Nullarbor for this season’s ID series with his brutal son of Blissfull Hall. In front of the biggest Kilmore Cup day crowd in recent memory - it was all about a return to the giant all-rounder’s roots and a glorious success in the day’s 3150-metre feature. “It (winning) was an amazing feeling, I can tell you,” Stewart said. “It was some sort of scene bringing the horse back after the race, that’s for sure. “I was born in Reservoir but we moved to Kilmore when I was about five and up until about four years ago we lived right across the road from the track – so it doesn’t get a lot better than this. It’s just fantastic.” Sent out a heavily supported $3 favourite on the back of last Friday night’s magnificent Melton Plate success, Bitobliss stepped safely from his second row draw and wasted little time looking for the breeze through a handy lead time of 1:58.8. Once established as the enforcer outside Group 1-winning former Kiwi pacer Georgetown, Stewart and his stable star immediately dropped anchor, masterminding first half fractions of 32.6 and 31.6 seconds respectively and all but ruling out a late ambush from the rear. Finally raising the stakes with 800 metres to run, the astute conditioner must have sensed Luke McCarthy and Lightning Raider ($4.10) strapped hard to his back, but after overcoming Georgetown through a 28.8-second following section, knew he must kick for home. Spearing clear of their rivals on straightening, the six foot four inch pilot and his burgeoning star were challenged by both Lightning Raider and Sunshine State star Our White Knight late but ultimately handled those tied silver medallists to win by 1.6 metres with something in hand. The final mile rate for the Choice Hotels Country Cup carnival’s second leg of 2:02.5 was more than a second outside Sting Lika Bee’s track standard, but Bitobliss’ effort to control and dominate a Kilmore Cup at just his 22nd start cannot be underestimated.His next stop will be Tabcorp Park’s The Legends on November 4, where a meeting with Popular Alm winner Broadways Best and a cavalcade of other Victorian stars will tell both Australian harness fans and Stewart even more about just how high this brand new star can soar. “I think that (The Legends) is where we’ll be heading now,” the gun horseman said. “If he comes out and stars in that we’ll step up with him again and maybe entertain a Miracle Mile start.“But the horse comes first and I won’t go chasing Smoken Up and Mr Feelgood around unless I think we can beat them. So we’ll just have to wait and see what comes next.” - Jason Bonnington

20 October 2011 - Harness Racing Victoria has publicly released its new Strategic Plan in full. The release follows Industry Forums conducted on the nights of 17 and 18 October at Bendigo and Ballarat respectively. A combined total of 100 participants attended the Forums where Chairman Ken Latta, CEO John Anderson and COO Brant Dunshea presented the Strategic Plan and took questions from the floor. The Strategic Plan is now available for viewing on the Victorian Industry Pages of the website at http://www.hrv.org.au/vic-industry. On the HRV site click the "Resources" tab followed by the prompt for the Strategic Plan download.

15 October 2011 - Bendigo's grey flyer Summanus used the sprint lane to snatch victory in the final few strides at Tabcorp Park Melton on Friday night. Tabcorp Park hosted a fundraising night for local girl Tiffany Murray and the grey provided Bendigonians with something to cheer about. In the Tiffany Murray Purple Army Pace the Jet Laag gelding driven by trainer Glen Comensoli scored a half neck victory in a driving finish which saw a quarter of a length separate the first three home. Comensoli gave Summanus the run of the race behind the leader and saved his best shot for the final 100 metres. Into the straight, the driver stoked up Summanus for the sprint lane drive and he zipped through to wear down leaders Lord Lombo and Heza Panamach with Good Jasper finishing strongly. Summanus beat Good Jasper (Caleb Lewis) by a half neck with a neck back to Bendigo's Heza Panamach (Daryl Douglas). Dougals was edged out of a major victory in the previous race when top mare Make Mine Cullen was beaten a head by Broadways Best in the Golden Wattle Cup and earlier in the night Nagambie's Chris Lang Jr trained his first Group winner when Miss Warbucks, raced by his partner Haley Toulmin, scored in the 2Construct RC Freestone Trotters Cup (Gr3). Lang Jr, who has a remarkable record in this race winning the past fours editions, drove the 9yo Sundon mare to victory at odds of $43.60. - David Aldred

15 October 2011 - Off the back of Make Mine Cullen's narrow defeat in Friday night's Golden Wattle Cup at Melton, Strathfieldsaye trainer Glenn Douglas will launch a three prong attack on tonight's $30,000 Nyah Pacing Cup. 
The Douglas trio Showdownatmidnight, Jukebox Music and Bold Cruiser each go into the race with a shot at winning the standing start feature. Glenn's champion reinsman brother Daryl drives last start Melton winner Showdownatmidnight, a former Central Victorian Championship winner and a country cups veteran. The son of D M Dilinger's last start victory over Village of Dreams and Kid Coconut from a standing start was one of the pacer's best performances for some time with the 8yo gelding sizzling home in a 27.5 final quarter. In the Nyah Cup Showdownatmidnight will leave from six off the front line. One position inside of him is stablemate Jukebox Music, a Melton winner three starts back and a last start runner up at Mildura. Glenn Douglas will pilot the 6yo Christian Cullen gelding. The stable's veteran Bold Cruiser has plenty of frequent travel points and is no stranger to Nyah winning the Cup in 2007. In his glory days Bold Cruiser won a Moonee Valley Cup, Hobart Cup, Kilmore Cup, Renshaw (Penrith) Cup and Mildura Cup  but these days his performances are mixed. Since winning at Menangle in August, Bold Cruiser has raced three more times at Menangle and once at Melton with his best effort a third placing. John Caldow will steer Bold Cruiser, a winner of close to $600,000 from the 10 metre handicap. Bold Cruiser has a 25% winning strike from a standing start. In the Nyah Trotters Cup local squaregaiters Barneys Invasion and Unbundled will carry the local flag. It's a tough, studded with up and coming stars. Paul Morrissey's Barney's Invasion looked back in top form at Bendigo last start, the Longlea 9yo winning over 2650 metres. Unbundled trained at Maiden Gully by David Van Ryn, will be driven by Leigh Sutton. The Conch De Ville 6yo's last win was in July at Kilmore. - David Aldred

9 October 2011 - Make Mine Cullen was brave in defeat, going down by just a half neck to Lets Slash An Burn in the $25,000 Geelong Rocket on Saturday night. Trapped three wide out of the gate, Daryl Douglas went forward and parked the champion Bendigo mare outside the leader Our White Knight, providing Greg Sugars driving the Geoff Webster trained Lets Slash An Burn with the one out and one back chair. Entering the straight in the metric mile, Make Mine Cullen wore down Our White Knight but was imediately challenged by Lets Slash An Burn. The duo went to the line together with Lets Slash An Burn ($8.50) getting the last nod in to defeat the Glenn Douglas trained Make Mine Cullen ($3.30) with the $2.30 race favourite Melpark Major (Amy Tubbs) steaming home to grab third spot 2.1 metres from the winner. Bendigo owners celebrated success at the Geelong meeting with Buriton Bailey getting the judges decision by a head in a thrilling SEW Missle Pace Final. The race for C1 pacer went right down to the wire with the Anthony Crossland trained and driven Buriton Bailey ($10.40) scoring by a head from Action Royale ($4.60 - Nigel Milne). The victory was Buriton Bailey first in four Australian starts. The former New Zealand gelding by Tinted Cloud made its local debut on 4th September, finishing second at Bendigo. - David Aldred

6 October 2011 - Bendigo’s best mare Make Mine Cullen tackles her first feature race this season on Saturday night en route to possibly another crack at Sydney’s rich Miracle Mile next month. The six-year-old mare lines up against a classy field in the $25,000 SEW Eurodrive Geelong Rocket (1609m) at Beckley Park. Make Mine Cullen was right in the mix in last year’s historical Miracle Mile won by Smoken Up in a record time of 1:50.3. The mare finished fifth, right on the heels of the first four Smoken Up, Blacks A Fake, Villagem and Mr Feelgood and trainer Glenn Douglas said this week that the 2011 edition is still pencilled in on the mares agenda. “We have it on the list and we’re thinking about it, her performances over the next few weeks will ultimately determine where we put her, the Miracle Mile is a possibility again,” Douglas said. “As always, we will also be closely targeting the mares races, they’re her speciality and we will place her where we think she can win, we will see what happens.” Douglas said Make Mine Cullen’s closing sectionals when fourth to Smoken Up in the 2240 metre Preux Chevalier at Tabcorp Park, Melton in 1:55.4 rate on 23 September was “very good”. “Those closing sections were smart and she was making ground from the back of the field, chasing good horses.” Douglas said. “The absence of Smoken Up in the Geelong Rocket field makes it a little easier this time but horses like Decorated Jasper and Melpark Major never makes it easy for you. I’m happy with my mare and we will give this race a real shake.”  Nine horses will contest the Geelong Rocket and Make Mine Cullen has drawn the front line gate six. Melpark Major will leave from the outside of the front line and Decorated Jasper goes from the inside of the second row, gate 8. Make Mine Cullen’s last win was in the Our Maestro FFA at Melton in July. She had a let-up and has raced four times since, finishing runner up to Heza Buzzin in the Australasian Breeders Crown Graduate Pace on 19 August and third to Karloo Mick in the Spring Cup at Menangle, 27 August before her last start fourth. - David Aldred

4 October 2011 - Leading local trainers Glenn Douglas and Ross Graham will fly the flag for Bendigo in the two Group races to be staged at Tabcorp Park Melton on Friday night. Graham will be the first cab off the rank with Sassy Pinevale out to regain her best form in the Group 3 NAB Scotch Notch Memorial Trot, a $20,000 handicap  over 2760 metres. The race has attracted a classy line-up and Bendigo’s champion driver Daryl Douglas will steer Sassy Pinevale from a 20 metre handicap. The six year-old mare has three top trotters behind her in the handicap, Danny Cash and Earl of Mot share the 30 metre line and the backmarker off 40 metres is Don King. At three starts this season Sassy Pinevale has failed to produce her best form. In July she scored back-to back wins in the Cranbourne Trotters Cup and the Matchmaker Mile at Maryborough. In the $50,000 Group 2 Melton Plate XXIII premier local trainer Glen Douglas will harness up two starters, the in-form Heza Trick and the country cups specialist Our Hillview Gold. Heza Trick has posted four wins in country Victoria and two seconds at Melton from just six Australian starts and the Badlands Hanover gelding certainly looks a horse on the way up. Our Hillview Gold, also a son of Badlands Hanover hasn’t produced anything like his best form this season but he is capable of a quick turn-around. Last season Douglas harnessed Our Hillview Gold up for 11 wins including the Country Cups at Charlton and Ouyen (Mildura track) and the Spring Championship at Melton. - David Aldred

3 October 2011 - Junortoun trainer Bruce Morgan took out the Bendigo Harness Racing Club’s Trainer of the Month Award for August with his stable duo The Dreamtime and Ruby Slippers both posting winning performances away from their home track last month. On Wednesday night the two girls will only have to travel across the road to Lord’s Raceway to race and Morgan could be celebrating a home track double.  Ruby Slippers, a daughter of Morgan’s former champion mare Mother Courage, posted her first victory at her most recent outing at Maryborough on 29 August. The 3yo filly was given a sprint lane ride home by ace driver Greg Sugars to beat the promising Long Black in the 1690 metre final race of the season for two-year-olds. Morgan was full of praise for the filly after the race. “She is getting better as she matures and could win better races,” he said. Ruby Slippers’ dam Mother Courage won $460,000 during her career including four Group One races and a Bendigo Pacing Cup. Ruby Slippers has only raced six times and has been a top three finisher twice. On Wednesday night she is drawn perfectly at gate two in the first race the Bendigo Members 3yo pace (1650m) and Greg Sugars is back on board. Another champion reinsman, local Daryl Douglas takes the drive on Morgan’s up and coming star, 4yo mare The Dreamtime, also a last start winner. A daughter of Dream Away USA and the very good mare Indigenous, The Dreamtime has raced just three times for a win and two second placings. The mare looked real smart winning a 3CO at Maryborough on 24 August over the 1690 metre journey and was runner up to Cullen Bromac at Melton at her previous start just six days earlier. The Dreamtime will start on the inside of the second row in the final race, the WIN TV Bendigo Pace (2150m). - David Aldred

14 September 2011 - A year of hard work and strong leadership has paid off for the Harness Racing Victoria (HRV) Board with the State’s peak harness racing body returning to profit in 2010/11.  Minister for Racing Denis Napthine said the HRV Annual Report, which was tabled in Parliament today, was a credit to the entire Victorian harness racing industry.  “The $100,000 profit posted for the 2010/11 financial year is in stark contrast to the $1.7 million loss recorded in the previous year,” Dr Napthine said.  “I congratulate HRV chairman Ken Latta, board members and HRV management for their endeavour and dedication in achieving this fantastic result.  “With an increase in revenue of more than three per cent, it is clear HRV is making good progress and attracting greater support from the Victorian community.”  Dr Napthine said he was looking forward to more positive news from the harness racing industry in the future as HRV moves to implement its strategic plan.  Read More...

12 September 2011 - The horsemanship of Bendigo trainer, the late Les Pratt was highlighted in an emotional Trotter of the Year trophy presentation at Lord’s Raceway on Saturday night. Star Gun was named the Conch Deville Trotter of the Year and the seven-year-olds trainer Peter Lindberg and owner Phyllis Lindberg were on track to receive the award. The Lindberg’s  said that Star Gun’s achievements at Bendigo during the past 12 months were due to the efforts of Les Pratt who sadly passed away after training a horse at Junortoun a couple of months ago. “Les made this horse what he is today and this award is dedicated to him,” Peter Lindberg said choking back a few tears as he remembered his mate. Wife Phyllis finished the story saying that “Star Gun needed to be taught some racetrack manners and get over his nervousness“. “We gave him to Les who had the patience and knowledge to work the horse out, Peter knew Les would get him right and the horse’s form at Bendigo is a result of the work that Les did,” Phyllis said. Last season Star Gun scored two wins and three second placings from six starts at Bendigo.  “I reckon the horse likes Bendigo because this is where Les did all the work with him,” Peter said. In an all family affair Star Gun is driven by the Lindberg’s son Steven. The young horseman, who has just taken out his trainer’s licence, also paid a huge tribute to the late Les Pratt. Steven sought permission from Les’ wife Heather to register his Green with Tartan Braces racing colours so the memory of Les Pratt could be carried on. “Heather was so proud that Les’ colours would continue to be seen on the racetrack,” Phyllis said. Steven is expected to wear the colours, newly registered in his name in a race next week. - David Aldred

12 September 2011 - Bendigo’s Glenn Douglas has once again become the toast of the harness racing industry winning the coveted Vin Knight Medal for the second year in a row capping a successful awards night for local industry participants. Sedgwick trainer Ross Graham and Huntly trainer Anthony Crossland were also major award winners at the night hosted by Harness Racing Weekly in the Crown Casino’s Palladium Room. Douglas successfully defended his title to become just the third horseperson in history to register consecutive medal wins. Enjoying a stellar season, Douglas polled 34 votes to account for Chris Lang and Chris Alford. In a marvellous result, Douglas also won Victoria’s State Metropolitan and Bendigo trainers’ premiership for the 2010/11 season. The Victorian Trainers’ and Drivers’ Association once again presented the Recognition Award to one of the state’s trainers. Basing the award on a participant outside of the top 10, the VT&DA selected Sedgwick’s Ross Graham as the winner.  A highly-respected horseman, Graham enjoyed a fulfilling season with his small team which included Sassy Pinevale and Savannah Way. Talented young Huntly horseman Anthony Crossland topped off his best season by being declared the winner of the prestigious Tabcorp Driving Performance of the Year Award. Crossland’s effort behind his stable runner The Bohemian to win the Seelite Windows and Doors Victoria Trotters’ Derby at Maryborough last July was enough to give him the nod by a panel of harness racing experts. Crossland was presented with a cheque for $1000. - David Aldred

5 September 2011 - Bendigo Harness Racing Club's High Tea to raise funds for the Womens Cancer Foundation Charity raised close to $2000 on Sunday. The event supporting Ovarian Cancer, Lyn's High Tea" was organised by Debra Aldred and was held in the Committee Room at Lord's Raceway. The event organisors thanked sponsors and those that assisted in making the High Tea work and said that they were pleased with the response to the inaugural event and said that next year's event will be bigger and better. "We would like to make this an annual event to raise funds for Ovarian Cancer and this year we had a pretty good result from a relatively small number attending," Mrs Aldred said.  

1 September 2011 - With her 11-month old daughter Milla and harness driving fiancé Leigh Sutton serving as inspiration, Tiffany Murray is putting up a tenacious fight against cancer.
The 22-year-old was diagnosed with a rare condition called rhabdomyosarcoma when she was just one. It was removed, but returned when she was eight and Tiffany is now dealing with an aggressive brain tumor known as glioblastoma multiforme. "It's so overwhelming,” Tiffany said. “The oncologist said it's a super aggressive tumor, but I'm tough.” "When I start to think about what Leigh and Milla will do without me, I tell myself it's not an option, I'm not going to die." After experiencing a severe headache a fortnight ago, Tiffany’s condition rapidly deteriorated. She was admitted to St Vincent’s Hospital in Melbourne where she underwent a life-saving operation to remove a blood clot and tumor in her brain. While the imminent threat has subsided, doctors are concerned that parts of the tumor remain in her brain and will carefully monitor Tiffany’s condition before deciding on what course of action to take. Tiffany, Leigh and Milla’s family and friends have rallied around them at this difficult time, establishing a fund to help the young family cope with the costs of treatment. You can contribute by e-mailing tiffanymurrayfoundation@hotmail.com or visiting the Facebook page to stay in touch and offer your support. Harness identities have rallied to the cause including prominent trainer/driver Anthony Crossland who is donating all winnings from Buriton Bailey’s efforts at Ballarat on Sunday night to the Foundation. Harness Racing Victoria CEO John Anderson said, “Tiffany and Leigh’s courage is to be admired at this daunting and uncertain time in their lives. “HRV is considering ways in which we can help raise funds for the Foundation and we hope to announce something shortly.” The Bendigo Harness Racing Club is supporting the fundraising efforts of the Tiffany Murray Foundation and the Club will host fund raising activities in the near future. We look forward to your support. Anyone wishing to donate can call into Tiffany's workplace at Garrards Horse & Hound at Lord's Raceway to make a donation. CLICK HERE TO VIEW RELATED ARTICLE : Brave Tiffany Fights for Life

30 August 2011 - Ruby Slippers victory in Maryborough’s final two-year-old race for the 2010/11 season on Monday afternoon brought back fond memories of one of Bendigo’s best race mares, Mother Courage. Junortoun trainer Bruce Morgan who trained local champion Mother Courage to win more than $460,000 in her career, including four Group One races and a Bendigo Cup, harnessed up Mother Courage’s fourth foal to race, Ruby Slippers to break her maiden status at start number six in the Maryborough District Advertiser 2yo Pace over 1690 metres in a mile rate of 1:59.7.  Driven by  Greg Sugars, Life Sign filly Ruby Slippers was trapped in the open from gate four, before sliding past the early leader Alina, then taking a trail on the Tannissa which circled from last after starting from the extreme draw. Following the leader, Sugars used the sprint lane for the ride home and Ruby Slippers gained the day by a head in advance of Long Black with Alina powering home late for third. Ruby Slippers is raced by former Bendigo Harness Racing Club president Tony Britt and his wife Helen Sweeney. Morgan isn’t comparing Ruby Slippers with her champion dam just yet but says the filly has ability and will win better races as she progresses. “She is getting better and the win was very good, she could surprise us and win better races as she matures,” Morgan said. Mother Courage was a superstar during her career and is proving a hard act for her progeny to follow. In 2002 the mighty mare held off Wally Walton in a photo finish to win the Bendigo Cup. That race was one of the most memorable in modern times with her owner, the late Murray Sweeney rating Mother Courage's Cup win as the most thrilling for him. A big call considering the mare won classics such as the Australian and Victorian Oaks and the Ladyship Mile. Mother Courage, who was retired aged seven years in November 2002 was also the joint winner of the 2001/02 Australian Aged Mare of The Year title.  A daughter of Stoneridge Scooter from Talk To Me, Mother Courage’s progeny at stud have also included her 2003 foal Mockingbird Road (now racing in WA with 5 wins to date); 2005 Rustler Boy (now racing in Tasmania with 5 wins to date) and, in 2006, a full sister to Ruby Slippers, Kattrin (trained at Romsey by Leigh Miles with 3 wins to date). Mother Courage is also due to foal this Spring with her foal by Four Starzzz Shark and the champion mare has been booked to be served by world USA champion pacer Rocknroll Hanover this year. - David Aldred

30 August 2011 - Last Friday, 22 year old Tiffany Murray, the fiancé of Bendigo harness racing driver Leigh Sutton was air-lifted from Bendigo Hospital to St. Vincent’s Hospital in Melbourne for a life saving emergency operation to remove a tumour from her brain. Within hours of finding the tumour, Tiffany was not only losing consciousness but almost losing her life. Her battle is not over yet, as the surgeons have only removed part of the cancer. This isn’t the first time Tiffany who works for Garrard’s Horse & Hound at Lord’s Raceway Bendigo, has had to deal with cancer, she has had cancer removed at the ages of one and eight years and she lost her mother to cancer four years ago. You could say her life has been anything but easy but Tiff refuses to let anything bring her down. She is a strong and amazing young woman and says: “You have to grab life with both hands and do with it whatever you choose. Be happy and love who you are and what you have.” Tiff and Leigh have a 10 month old daughter, Milla. There is only one surgeon in Australia that will operate on the type of tumour Tiffany has.  A Dr. Charles Teo operation comes at a cost of $60,000 then there is another $40,000 in cost for the post operative care. A foundation has been established to raise funds for Tiffany’s operation and care. Any donation, no matter how big or small will help.
A Trust account is being made so that public donations can be submitted to benefit the Tiffany Murray Foundation.
Or if you would like to donate goods or services for a fund raising auction, please contact the foundation administrators via email: tiffanymurrayfoundation@hotmail.com
. Please leave your return contact details for further information.

22 August 2011 - Bendigo track specialist Callnineoneone has a chance at stealing the thunder of Group 1 competitor Composed at Lord’s Raceway on Tuesday night with the four-year-old gelding’s trainer/driver Juanita Breen driving the rejuvenated pacer for the Horse of the Year title. There is no doubt that four-year-old Bendigo-owned gelding Composed has had his finest season with a stellar 12 months earning him nine victories including a five win hot streak earlier this year. The son of Our Sir Vancelot has won four races at Bendigo’s Lord’s Raceway during the season and notched two third places, placing him at the top of Bendigo’s Emerson Printing and Publishing honour board with 18 points with just the one race meeting in the season remaining.  Owned by Ian Carmichael and Paul Best, Composed has raced against the cream of harness racing and recently finished second in the Group 1 Vicbred Super Series Final to Sunday’s Australasian Breeders Crown winner David Hercules and was an outstanding fourth to David Hercules in the Group 1 Crown Final and has also finished a mighty fourth to this year’s stand out champion, 2011 Inter Dominion and 2010 Miracle Mile winner Smoken Up NZ in the My Lightning Blue FFA. But with all that success to his credit, the Class two country track performer Callnineoneone is not going to allow him to take the Bendigo title easily.  While Composed is relaxing at Cobram in a spelling paddock, his Avenel stable next door neighbour, four-year-old gelding Callnineoneone will line up in the Bendigo Bank Pace ready for a crack at the title. The Class 2 pacer has 16 points and with a win earning him four points he'd be elevated to the top of the Bendigo H.O.Y table. A second placing (2 pts) is good enough to tie the award. Callnineoneone  is trained and driven by Juanita Breen who prepares her small team at the property adjacent to Aikens. The pacer hasn’t been racing against any champions, with his races in the lower grades on the country tracks but still he has earned his position with a good local record, posting three wins, a second and two thirds this season at Bendigo. Breen will have Callnineoneone fresh for his tilt at the title. The gelding raced by Breen and her husband Aaron Brown has a definite liking for Lord’s Raceway, earning first three prizemoney cheques at eight of his 14 starts on the track. “He has only missed a paypacket once at Bendigo.” Breen said. “He drives really well around Bendigo, just loves the track but in saying that it will be a challenge for us from 11.”  A son of Live or Die USA, Callnineoneone has not raced since July. His latest win was at Bendigo in June when he came off the front row to race outside the leader before scoring in a photo finish. In the Bendigo Bank Pace, Breen will drive Callnineoneone from the back row at Bendigo and said she is hoping to get the last shot at the opposition. “Hopefully we will get a nice tow into the race and be strong enough at the finish.”  Breen said Callnineoneone is coming back from injury but trialled really well at Shepparton recently. In friendly neighbour rivalry Breen said she keeps on getting strange looks from Aiken over the fence every time Callnineoneone is nominated at Bendigo. “He is spewing we are in on Tuesday night,” she said. “I told him Composed has a good shot at winning a Group 1 race, this horse will never do that so this is his only chance for five minutes of fame.” - David Aldred

18 August 2011 - Punters can expect to see a bigger Let Me Thru when the gun trotter returns to the track in Friday night’s Australasian Breeders Crown Graduate Trotters Free-For-All at Melton’s Tabcorp Park. The five-year-old Nagambie trained star recently weighed in at a hulking 551kg and while driver Chris Lang Jnr thinks the added physical maturity will be of immense benefit later in his preparation, he concedes it might leave him a touch vulnerable this weekend. The $35,000 Group 2 Breeders Crown event will be the six-time Group 1 winner’s first start since being edged out by I Can Doosit in the Inter Dominion Trotting Championship Final in April. “He’s come back bigger, so he’ll get stronger, but because he has grown he might take a couple of starts (to get going) this time in because of that extra size,” said Lang Jnr, son of Let Me Thru’s trainer. “But he’s come back good, he looks good, he’s the best horse on this side of the planet and hopefully he’ll be able to win anyway.” The son of Muscles Yankee will be chasing a slice of history when he takes on the likes of Aleppo Sunrise (barrier 2), Sassy Pinevale (4), Earl Of Mot (5) and I Didnt Do It (8) from barrier nine in the 2240-metre mobile. No horse has won Breeders Crown features three years in a row, something Let Me Thru is in line to achieve following dominant victories in his three and four-year-old Group 1 finals the past two years. One of the runners engaged in Friday night’s $60,000 Group 2 Pacers Graduate Trotters FFA (2240m) is also chasing a Breeders Crown hat-trick. Star mare Make Mine Cullen won last year’s four-year-old mares’ final, having won the three-year-old fillies decider 12 months’ earlier, and the Glenn Douglas-trained daughter of Christian Cullen is lining up again. But she has the outside-back-row barrier (13) to contend with in a 2240m event that also features last year’s four-year-old entires and geldings Breeders Crown winner Villagem, former Breeders Crown juvenile champion Captain Joy and classy sit-sprinter Decorated Jasper. A Group 1 winner is also set to go around in one of Friday night’s two-year-old consolations with Australian Pacing Gold victor Mr Nickel to contest the $20,000 colts and geldings decider. - Brad Bishop

6 August 2011 - Win, lose or draw, the biggest cheer will be for pacer Our Calvados at  Saturday night's  Bendigo Harness Racing Club meeting. The former New Zealand pacer will be cheered on by the Snake Racing Syndicate – a group of family and friends of the late Peter Crapper. Crapper, a well-known Strathfieldsaye identity and harness racing enthusiast who was nicknamed Snake, passed away suddenly in July last year. As a tribute to Crapper, a syndicate was formed shortly after his death to race his trotter Lip Gloss. While Lip Gloss failed to live up to expectations, the syndicate, in conjunction with Strathfieldsaye trainer Glenn Douglas, purchased Our Calvados from New Zealand. Going into tonight’s race at Lord’s Raceway, the pacer has had six starts for the Snake Racing Syndicate for four wins, a third placing and a last placing in the semi-final of the Tontine series when he was found to have a virus. “Everyone put in a couple of hundred dollars to join the syndicate and we’ve had a lot of fun,’’ Snake Racing Syndicate manager Peter Cole said yesterday. “The syndicate has 61 members which makes it the biggest syndicate in Victorian harness racing. “We have people from all over Australia who were friends with Peter that have joined the syndicate.” Peter Crapper’s wife Kaye and sons Rhys and Liam are in the syndicate. The most famous members of the syndicate are the Selwood brothers – Adam, Troy, Joel and Scott who are the nephews of Peter Crapper. “57 of the 61 owners had never raced a horse before,’’ Cole said. “They didn’t know anything about horses, but they were great mates of Snake and wanted to be part of it. “Half of them are from the old Northern United footy club days where Peter played a big part and the other half are probably from the Strathfieldsaye Football Club. “Every race the horse has had we’ve had syndicate members at the track. “When he raced at Hamilton we had six owners there, when he raced at Melton he had six owners there. When he raced at Bendigo we had about 48 people there and it will be the same again this weekend.” Cole is confident Our Calvados will give the Snake Racing Syndicate plenty more thrills in the future. “He’s the best horse in the race at Bendigo, but he hasn’t had a run for four weeks and he’s drawn gate 11,’’ Cole said. “Whatever he does this run he’ll improve on. “He’s already paid for what we bought him for, but it’s not about the money “The best thing is that we’re having fun and honouring Snake in a way that he’d love.” - The Bendigo Advertiser

5 August 2011 - Victoria’s racing minister has offered a glowing endorsement of a horse the Bendigo Advertiser will race for charity. Liberal MP Denis Napthine honoured his promise to meet harness horse Addy.
Dr Napthine turned the clock back to his former profession as a veterinarian to offer an assessment of the Lombo Pocket Watch two-year-old filly. “I am very confident about her prospects,” he said.
“She’s well bred. Lombo Pocket Watch was one of the best, most exciting pacers and that is her dad... she comes from a good sire side, a good dam side. “She herself is a relaxed, well conformed young filly with all the potential to be a very good and very competitive race horse.” Dr Napthine assessed Addy’s legs and rump and predicted she would be a powerful harness horse. “I would encourage anyone to sign up and lend their support to Addy,” he said. “I have no doubt that she will be able to deliver the goods when she takes the track. “I am positive that the interest in Addy will get plenty of people through the gates at Bendigo and around the state so I am proud to offer my personal support to Addy, who I am sure will have a long and successful career.” Dr Napthine met Addy’s trainer, Maiden Gully’s Maree Campbell, at Bendigo’s harness racing track. He had his first experience in a sulky behind a harness horse and met students at the Bendigo Harness Racing Industry Training Centre, which trains 140 people each year to become stable hands, drivers, trainers and stewards. Dr Napthine said he looked forward to watching Addy race. There is no doubt when she is racing I’ll be there and if the journalists at the Advertiser haven’t knocked off the odds I might have a dollar or two on her,” he said. To join the Race For Fun Club, see the coupon in Saturday’s Bendigo Advertiser. Catch up on Addy’s progress in the Advertiser each Tuesday. - Brett Worthington (The Bendigo Advertiser)

4 August 2011 -The Minister for Racing, the Hon. Denis Napthine took hold of the reins for a “hands on” lesson at the Bendigo Harness Racing Club on Thursday, driving a pacer around the Lord’s Raceway track during a scheduled visit to the Harness Racing Training Centre and a meet and greet with the Race for Fun Club’s celebrity pacer “Addy”. Dr. Napthine, met Harness Racing Training Centre CEO John Randles, BHRC General Manager David Aldred, BHRC vice-president Darren McPhail and the BHRTC school’s students while inspecting the centre’s facilities and checking out the filly which will be raced by the Bendigo Advertiser’s Race for Fun Club which now has around 400 members. The Minister then took up an offer to drive a pacer on the track. Sharing the tandem sulky with the HRTC trainer Roma Pocock, Dr. Napthine drove four circuits of the training track driving Village Patrol a horse raced by the Training Centre. “That was great, loved it,” the Minister said as he came off the track.  Dr. Napthine, a vet by trade, was also full of praise for “Addy” after giving the filly a close inspection. “She is a nice filly, good legs and a good size for a 2yo, she seems to have the power where she’ll need it too,” Dr. Napthine told trainer Maree Campbell. - David Aldred

28 July 2011 - Top reinsman Gavin Lang hit the winners board twice in Wednesday night's 3yo Filly heats of the Australasian Breeders Crown steering Livia Degerolstein and Victors Delight to victory. Bendigo's Daryl Douglas drove the other heat winner Ezee Duzit Lombo. Livia Degerolstein a $15.10 outsider sprung the first surprise of the night. The Graeme Lang trained filly followed the speed before sprint laning home for a narrow win over $1.30 hotshot Aussie Made Lombo (Chris Alford). Aussie Made Lombo had a head to head tussle with frontrunner Tatijana Lombo (Daryl Douglas) and the duo was claimed in the final bound by Lang's Live Or Die filly. Livia Degerolstein has now won five races from 18 starts this season. Exciting Kiwi filly Victors Delight brought up Gavin Lang's second leg of his winning ABC double. The Bettors Delight filly is unbeaten at two Australian starts with both wins at Bendigo this month. Trained by Pukekohe mentor Steven Reid, Victors Delight had two wins in New Zealand before coming to Australia and is now a real prospect  for the three-year-old filly Crown. In the heat Victors Delight rated a 1:59.7 mile over the 2159 metre distance. Lang positioned up outside the leader Maastricht for the final half mile and the duo went stride for stride. Only a head separated Victors Delight ($1.70) and Maastricht (Shane Cramp - $4.80) at the finish. Our Miss Vivienne (John Justice) rounded out the top three. Favourite backers were knocked out in the other heat with Daryl Douglas piloting the John Hallam trained Ezee Duzit Lombo to a 1.4 metre win over the shortpriced favourite Bellas Delight. Douglas gave Exee Duzit Lombo the perfect trip, travelling behind the parked Bellas Delight ($1.70 - Greg Sugars). In the race to the line Ezee Duzit Lombo ($16.80) was able to overhaul the favourite. Raceapacer's Rhodium Castle ($14.50 - Gavin Lang) finished on well for third.- David Aldred

18 July 2011 - The Bendigo connections of 3yo trotter The Bohemian  endured a nervous 20 minute wait before celebrating a Classic victory in the 2011 Group 1 Victoria Trotters Derby on Redwood Day at Maryborough on Sunday. The Bohemian, a New Zealand-bred, purchased last year to contest the Redwood Classic scored brilliantly in the Derby with Huntly trainer Anthony Crossland at the reins but the after race celebrations were put on hold when a protest was fired in by the driver of the runner-up Lightning Joy, Greg Sugars who objected to The Bohemian drifting into the sprint lane in the home straight.  The Bohemian is raced by a group of Bendigo identities including Andrew Curran, John Hazeldene, Bryan Coghlan and Phil McKern.  - David Aldred with the files of the Bendigo Advertiser

15 July 2011 - Bendigo squaregaiting star Sassy Pinevale trotted a track record 1:57.6 in a brilliant front-running victory in the Alabar Farms Matchmaker Mile at Maryborough on Friday. Astutely driven by ace Bendigo reinsman Daryl Douglas, the Ross Graham trained star led from start to finish shaking off a determined bid from former record holder Arizona Blue inside the final half mile. Douglas made full use of the CR Commando mare's gate speed and took her straight to the top in a 29.4 first quarter. The mare went through the second and third splits in 30.8 and 28.9 before powering the last quarter mile in 28.6. Douglas gave Sassy Pinevale full rein at the 600 metres and she snuffed out New South Wales champion Arizona Blue's challenge. At the 400 metres he had a 10 metre break on Arizona Blue (David Aiken) with Aldebaran Maori (Chris Lang Jr.) closing quickly. In the straight Sassy Pinevale, the $1.80 favourite packed too much power and held off a sprint lane bid from Aldebaran Maori ($13.60) to win by 6.5 metres, Arizona Blue ($3.20), the winner of eight trotting majors in Victoria and New South Wales this year, was less than two metres further back in third place. Sassy Pinevale has now won 16 races and over $150,000 in stakes for trainer Graham and her owners Terry Forster, Heather Lyttleton and David Patterson. In the last couple of months she has also collected wins in the Knight Pistol Cup, John Slack Memorial Trot Cup and Cranbourne Trot Cup. - David Aldred

15 July 2011 - Popular trainer Les Pratt passed away on Wednesday evening (13/7). The veteran trainer was found in a paddock at a Junortoun stable on Wednesday evening and was treated by ambulance officers at the scene but passed away a short time later. Les was a top horseman and a thorough gentleman who loved his family and his horses. His contribution to harness racing and the breeding industry  was significant. The Committee and staff of the Bendigo Harness Racing Club extends deepest sympathy to  Heather, Sue, Mandy, Jenny, Linda and families.

8 July 2011 - The HRV Board today received an audit report assessing the facilities at the six tracks, which were closed for racing in 2005 as part of the 'V3' Strategic Plan. After considering the contents of the report, the HRV Board has resolved to support The Victorian Liberal Nationals Coalition Plan For Racing by re-opening the six tracks and conducting one community race meeting per year. The tracks are located at Boort, Gunbower, Ouyen, St Arnaud, Wangaratta and Wedderburn. Chairman of HRV, Mr. Ken Latta said, "The Board resolution is subject to receiving State Government funding to reinstate racing at these venues to a standard which accords with contemporary public and participant safety requirements. The Board has also asked for further work to be undertaken to determine the timing of the reintroduction of racing at these venues given the future works required. HRV will not make any further comment until consultation has taken place with Dr Denis Napthine, Minister for Racing and the clubs concerned."

6 July 2011 - Outstanding North American pacer Art Colony, one of champion Artsplace’s fastest and richest 2yo’s to race will return to Lockwood’s Loddon Valley Stud in August to commence stud duties for a second season.  Loddon Valley Stud’s principal John Campbell said the stallion which stood his debut season at Lockwood last year will return from Canada late next month. “Art Colony has just finished serving 100 mares at Winbak Farm and he will now be shipped back to us for another season,” Campbell said. Winbak breeds, raises and sells some of the North American harness racing industry’s best Standardbred horses and has studs and nurseries in Maryland, Delaware, New York, Pennsylvania, Indiana and Canada. “He stands at a higher fee at a high quality North American farm with plenty of other good stallions, so to get 100 mares there for a season says a lot about him,” Campbell said. Art Colony had 100 mares booked for servicing at Loddon Valley Stud last season with his first local foals due this spring.  In the new breeding season, the winning owners of the Loddon Valley Stud 2yo Classic races at Bendigo’s Lord’s Raceway on 16 July will have the opportunity of breeding a mare to the exciting stallion. John and Kay Campbell have sponsored services valued at $6,000 to Art Colony for each of the 2yo Colts and 2yo Fillies Classics. During his racing career Art Colony was a star, winning $863,750 pacing a winning 1:51 mile at aged two and three years. An outstanding type, five-year-old Art Colony (Artsplace – Asleep On the Beach) stands tall at 16 hands with perfect conformation. Art Colony was a class performer and looked like being the best of his year until injury struck. He was prepared by three times O’Brien award-winner and leading Canadian trainer Casie Coleman who had the greatest admiration for the horse. “Art Colony was a gorgeous yearling, I just had to have him whatever the price,” Coleman said. “Beautifully bred with perfect manners and a perfect gait, he beat the best colts, fought tough from bad draws and could race his last quarters in 26.” “He should have won $2 million but for going amiss in the Meadowlands Pace.” Winbak Farm management echoed Coleman’s praise for Art Colony. “He is a great looking horse: big, athletic and powerful,” Winbak Farm’s Canadian manager Larry Drysdale said. Art Colony only missed the top two spots once in his injury shortened career winning five of his 13 starts and finishing runner-up on seven other occasions. The only time he didn’t earn a cheque was the night of his suspensory injury in the final of the Meadowlands. In his debut season Art Colony won four races and was beaten a nose in the Governors Cup and the final of the Breeders Crown and in his 3yo season he was runner up in the North American Cup, pacing his own mile in a sizzling 1:48.8. Art Colony’s sire, Artsplace, has the hottest siring sons in Australia including Art Major, Modern Art and Grinfromeartoear and Art Colony has a stout maternal pedigree as well with broodmare sire excellence from Beach Towel, Cam Fella, Albatross and Bye Bye Byrd. “We are excited to have him back and can’t wait for his first crop of foals to hit the ground in central Victoria,” Campbell said. Art Colony will stand for a service fee of $3000 at Loddon Valley Stud with multiple mare booking discounts available. - David Aldred

3 July 2011 - Bendigo is quickly becoming the hub of trotting with locally trained squaregaiters conquering all before them. On Saturday night the Ross Graham trained Sassy Pinevale became the lastest giant-slayer with a record-breaking neck victory over trotting champion Sundons Gift in the Group 2 Cranbourne Trotters Cup. The five-year-old mare's  win follows the victories last week by local trotters Savannah Way in the Emerging Stars Trot at Melton and Waikare Aristocrat in the SA Trotters Derby at Globe Derby Park. Sassy Pinevale, driven by Daryl Douglas, came with a late burst to steal the Trotters Cup from Sundons Gift (Chris Lang). Sundons Gift raced outside the leader I Didnt Do It (Jodi Quinlan) throughout and charged to the lead in the straight. But the swoopers came late with Sassy Pinevale the widest runner and Earl of Mot (Lance Justice) powering home down the centre of the track. Sassy Pinevale ($12.80) grabbed the victory in the final stride over the $1.40 favourite with Earl of Mot ($7.70) taking third place 2.7 metres from the winner. The 2555 metres mobile start Cup was covered in a track record 3:14.9, 2:02.8 mile rate. It was the 15th victory from 57 starts for the daughter of CR Commando and Sundon mare Galleons Bliss. The Sedgwick mare's six wins this year have included the Knight Pistol Cup at Melton and the John Slack Memorial Trot at Ballarat but the Group 2 triumph on Saturday night is easily her most important success. Sassy Pinevale is owned by Bendigo’s Terry Forster and Heather Lyttleton, from Huntly’s Pinevale Farm, and David Patterson. "Terry and Heather (the breeders) put in a lot of hard work with their horses," Graham said.  "They really enjoy their racing and get a lot of enjoyment out of it." - David Aldred

25 June 2011 - Sedgwick squaregaiter Savannah Way produced a brilliant last quarter dash to sprint clear of his rivals and win the Group 3 Cammaroto Poultry Emerging Stars Trotters Handicap Final at Tabcorp Park on Friday night. Trained by Ross Graham and steered by Daryl Douglas, Savannah Way trotted the 2760 metre journey in 3:32.1, powering the last half of the final mile in 58.5. 
Well rated by Victoria's premier driver Douglas, Savannah Way found the top mid-race from a 10 metre handicap, Douglas had last week's nemisis, Earl of Mot (Lance Justice) doing the chasing. The 40 metre backmarker from the standing start had to travel three wide with cover and although he finished on strongly he could pull back the ground that Savannah Way stole 400 metres from the finish. Race favourite Miss Warbuck (Chris Lang Jr) also travelled wide and went up to challenge Savannah Way inside the last half but wilted to finish third. Savannah Way ($5.90) scored by 3.2 metres from Earl of Mot ($3.30) with Miss Warbucks ($2.20) finishing 4.2 metres from the winner. "He (Savannah Way) did a lot of work, it was a good win, " Graham said. Savannah Way (Sundon - Poets Glory) has now won 10 races for over $60,000 in stakes. The six-year-old has turned his form around this year after winning just three of his first 36 starts. Graham said maturity has been the key to his consistency and a little experimentation with the horse has also helped. "He's been a horse that we've always been messing around with his shoes and I don't know whether it (the turnaround) is because we've got it right with that or the horse has just clicked," Graham said. "But right now I don't think it matters how he was shod because he just seems to be trotting a lot more solidly."  - David Aldred

25 June 2011 - Longlea-trained 3yo Waikare Aristocrat has kept his Globe Derby Park record perfect with a gallant victory in Saturday nights South Australian Trotters Derby. Trainer Graham McDermott was keen to get his promising black Safely Kept colt back to Adelaide after winning three from three 2yo races there this time last year. "He raced well in Adelaide last year so I just have to get back there with him," McDermott said before going to South Australia for the Gramel Carnival. The $15,000 Taylor Made Travel SA Trotters Derby 2230 metres is the feature three-year-old race during the SA Harness Racing Club's Gramel Series. Last year Waikare Aristocrat completed his Globe Derby 2yo hattrick with a victory in the Taylor Made 2yo Classic. With Grant Campbell up, Waikare Aristocrat started the $2.70 favourite in the SA Derby and found the top soon after the start. The colt look set for a comfortable win when he rounded the final turn well clear of his rivals but had to fight for the victory when tackled by 2010 Group 1 Redwood 2yo Classic winner I See Icy Earl (Glenn Hunter) over the concluding stages. I See Icy Earl ($5.40) went up at the bell to challenge Waikare Aristocrat and was beaten off down the back but in the straight he raised another effort and started to wear down the favourite, failing to do so by 1.3 metres. Ten metres further away was the third placed Major Seelster ($5.80 - Tony Pullicino), a New Zealander having its first race start in Australia after winning one from 16 last season in NZ. Waikare Aristocrat went into the SA Derby off the back of its second placing to NSW Derby winner The Bohemian in The Homfield at Tabcorp Park Melton this month. Mister consistency, Waikare Aristocrat has had 16 starts for eight wins and five minor placings with his prizemoney now close to $50,000. - David Aldred

30 June 2011 - This time last year glamour Bendigo mare Make Mine Cullen was on a roll. She started a winning streak which saw her capture 11 race victories from 13 starts in a six month period. Included in that streak was the 4yo Mares Group 1 Final of the Australasian Breeders Crown at Tabcorp Park, Melton, the Group 2 Melton Plate at Tabcorp Park and the Group 2 Kilmore Pacing Cup. But in six starts in 2011 Make Mine Cullen, the winner of $554,507 failed to post a victory, not that her form between January and March was bad, in fact she paced her fastest mile ever when third to Pacific Playgirl in1:51.8 in the Robin Dundee Stakes at Menangle in February. Make Mine Cullen hasn’t started  in a race since 5 March. “We just have been giving her a break, she did well last campaign and hopefully she will be as good this time round,” trainer Glenn Douglas said as he harnessed up the mare for her winning trial at Bendigo’s Lord’s Raceway last week. “Her best races have been against other mares, so we will pick out some nice mares races and go for them. The main thing is that she’s back on the track and we’re at the bottom of the hill, so to speak – it’s just great to have her racing again. But the obvious target again is the (Breeders) Crown day, all going well she will be up for it again this year." Douglas said. If she can stamp her imprimatur on Victoria’s open class this preparation the mouth watering proposition of her resuming hostilities with Broadways Best and once again battling out the title fight for Australia’s most talented mare looms ominously on the horizon. “I don’t tend to get caught up in rivalries and things like that too much but the plan is to have her race on Breeders Crown day and that does have some special memories for us; beating Broadways Best in that classic race,” Douglas recalled. Make Mine Cullen already has banked wins in the 3yo and 4yo Australasian Breeders Crown Finals and another victory in the Free For All Crown in August would give her a remarkable hattrick. Make Mine Cullen Makes her return to racing at Tabcorp Park Melton on Friday night. The glamour mare has a back row draw in the Young Pedro Free For All against the boys over 2240 metres. Her assignment looks tough with another mare, Pacific Playgirl (Greg Sugars), a last start winner over Decorated Jasper drawn perfectly at three on the front row. Decorated Jasper (Jodi Quinlan) is also drawn on the front at four. Win or lose this race will have Make Mine Cullen fitter for the Harness Breeders (Vic) Jane Ellen, a mobile start event for Mares over 2240 metres carrying prizemoney of $20,000 next week at Tabcorp Park, Melton. - David Aldred with files of HRV

18 June 2011 - Strathfieldsaye's Glenn Douglas trained and reined Stirling Charmer to win its first race in more than eight months in Friday night's $20,000 Cavalier Home - The Enduro at Tabcorp Park, Melton. Stirling Charmer, the winner of the Nyah Cup last October, had not posted a win since winning on the Rothacker Medal night at headquarters back in November. The six-year-old son of Live Or Die, raced by Anderson Racing, came off a 10 metre handicap and was well back at the bell. Douglas waited as long as he could to flush out cover going down the back then came four wide with his charge. In the straight there was a great charge to the line with the swoopers Stirling Charmer and Tanabi Bromac, which peeled five wide, doing the best work. Stirling Charmer held off a late dive by this season's Echuca Cup winner Tanabi Bromac to win by a half neck. The Warragul Cup winner Johnorama rounded out the top three placings. The mile rate for the 2760 metre standing start event was a slick 1:58.9 with the last half mile raced in 57.3. Stirling Charmer started at odds of $12.30. Chris Lang Jr. was back in fine form after his European sojourn with Miss Warbucks shining brightly in the Emerging Star Trotters Handicap (Heat 2). The $2.00 favourite began badly then raced three wide with a trail. Lang Jr put Miss Warbucks within striking distance going down the back the final time. The mare put in big strides in the straight and did best to hold off a late bid by Pepperell Victory (Glen Conroy). In the other heat, Sedgewick's Savannah Way (Daryl Douglas) was beaten into second place by Earl Of Mot (Lance Justice). The favoured duo tested motors, swapping the lead, then Savannah Way trailed Earl Of Mot into the final circuit. In the end it was the backmaker Earl Of Mot that proved superior. - David Aldred

17 June 2011 - Harness Racing Victoria (HRV) is pleased to announce the appointment of Shane Larkins to the position of Chairman of Stewards.
Shane will replace James Hitchcock, who has accepted a position on the Racing Victoria Ltd stewards’ panel and will vacate the HRV role on July 1. Shane is a passionate harness racing steward, most recently in his current position as Chairman of Stewards (Harness) for Racing Services Tasmania. Prior to that he had been a steward with Harness Racing Victoria and Harness Racing New Zealand. HRV CEO John Anderson welcomed the appointment of Mr Larkins. “Shane beat a quality field of applicants by demonstrating a strong knowledge of the rules, regulations and policies in harness racing. Shane is also well aware of HRV’s focus on, and commitment to, integrity. “Among his other qualities is a capacity to instigate and manage change, as well as a desire to self-develop and assist subordinates. I am certain he will quickly gain the respect of the industry. “Shane’s 13 years of experience as a harness racing steward will stand him in good stead for this critical role within HRV.” Shane Larkins will officially commence his role on Monday 8 August 2011.

13 June 2011 - Group One juvenile Australian Pacing Gold champion Mr Nickel strolled home to an easy victory in his Bendigo heat of the Vicbred Super Series 2yo colts and gelding division on Saturday night. The Mark Purdon-trained Mr Nickel was a real drawcard for the meeting following  his perfect Melton form and he didn't disappoint going to the post untested over the 2150 metre journey. The winning margin over the Glenn Douglas trained, Daryl Douglas reined  runner-up Star of Paris was only 1.2 metres but Mr Nickel wasn't asked to do a lot by his driver Greg Sugars. "Well that was easy," Sugars said as he returned to the winners' circle. Leading from start to finish from his inside gate, Mr Nickel cruised throught the quarters of the last mile 32.3, 31.4, 29.4 and 28.9 for a comfortable score in a 2:01.5 mile rate. The $1.10 favourite safely held Star of Paris ($17.80) with The Noble Steed (Kerryn Manning - $7.50)  making a fine return to racing to fill third place less than five metres rom the winner. Raced by Christchurch’s Neil Pilcher, Pascoe Vale’s Aziz Kheir and Russell Grice of Invercargll, Mr Nickel has risen to star status in a short space of time. Just two months ago he was considered the understudy to his then unbeaten stable mate Fly Like An Eagle and before coming to Victoria on 11 April he didn’t even have a win beside his name. But Purdon’s Village Jasper colt has ‘grown a leg’ on Aussie soil. In the $305,000 APG Final on 6 May he burnt the track to win and rate a sizzling mile of 1:56.5. Then he had an easy time winning again at Melton over the APG distance, this time in 1:58.5. Greg Sugars has driven Mr Nickel at each of his Aussie wins. - David Aldred 

13 June 2011 - Three-year-old squaregaiter Just Call Me Earl provided well travelled trainer John Newberry with his second Bendigo 3yo Trotters Classic on Saturday night at Lord's Raceway, but the wins have been about 30 years apart.
"I won a 3yo trotting classic here with Andy Brydon, but that was a long time ago," the Shepparton-based trainer said. Just Call Me Earl ($4.90), a son of Earl and the Sundon mare Shine On Alisha scored the second victory of his 11 start career in the Schweppes 3yo Classic with Newberry using the sprint lane to drive the impressive looking bay gelding home by 3.3 metres over Sir Pegasus ($8.20 - Leigh Sutton) and with a further gap to Lillingstonelovell ($3.80 - Daryl Douglas). The Kerryn Manning trained and reined $3.70 favourite Theywannacallmesue led for most of the 2150 metres but tired in the straight to fifth spot. Co-trainers Paul and Kari Males caused a major upset in the $7,000 Alabar Bendigo Guineas (2150m) when their Bettors Delight/Cosmopolitan gelding Bettor Warrior scored at Supertab odds of $33.10. In what was the “drive of the night” by Bendigo based Scott Dyer, Bettor Warrior from gate four on the second line possied three back the markers, trailing both the polemarker Soldier Boy and the roughie Ringtripleowe and always appeared to be “under double wraps”.  Somehow managing to be on the back of the leader on turning, Bettor Warrior bred and raced by Peter and Yvonne Males used the sprint lane to gain the day in a 1:59.9 rate over What A Fine Fella (four back the markers) and a death-seating Sword And Pistol, with Soldier Boy weakening to finish fourth. Avenel’s Juanita Breen snared the $7,000 Bendigo Mitsubishi Pace Final for C1 class which qualified in the heats held a week earlier with 4yo Live Or Die/Takestwototango gelding Callnineoneone. Despite sitting in the open from gate three outside the surprise pacemaker Truscott Cam (gate two) for the entire 2150 metre journey, Callnineoneone proved to be the better stayer on the night, gaining the upper hand halfway up the running to score from Jenna McRae which followed him throughout, with Truscott Cam holding down third. The mile rate 2:00.2. Two heats of the Vicbred Super Series for 2-Y-0 Trotters over 2150 metres were held during the evening, with the Elsu/Chancery Lane gelding Prescient bringing up two wins in a row in the first Heat for Maree and John Caldow. A half brother to the Caldow’s open class performer Lord Of The Gym, a winner of both the N-S-W and S-A Trotters Derby, Prescient led throughout to easily account for the first starter Seigfried which trailed and Zedalite (one/one) in a rate of 2-05.3.Heat two went the way of Melton trainer Paul Grech’s Sundon/Panbrake gelding Mister Gunsen driven by Uncle Mario Azzopardi, which also led throughout in defeating Conartist which followed, with Rubon Brown an eye catching third after galloping away. The mile rate 2-08.1. - David Aldred with the files of Len Baker

10 June 2011 - In tragic news for owner and entrepreneur Garry Rogers, a short battle with colic has claimed the life of his star squaregaiter and this year's Bendigo Aldebaran Park Maori Mile winner Ronerail. 
Brilliantly rejuvenated after his transfer to Peter Manning’s Great Western stables at the beginning of this year, the Group 1 winning 8YO was struck down on his way to the Ballarat races last month. Ronerail claimed 26 wins from 83 Australian starts and will be remembered as one of the most talented trotters of his generation. “It’s a real tragedy. Horses like him don’t come around every day and he was in career best form,” said Rogers. “The horse wasn’t feeling well and Peter (Manning, trainer) took him to the vet on the Sunday. Things just went downhill from there and he never recovered. “It’s not just what he did on the racetrack, he was just a great horse to have around. He was a bit nasty by nature but I just loved him and I’ll certainly miss the old bloke, that’s for sure.” Somewhat fittingly, Ronerail's last win was on the big stage at Tabcorp Park, Melton on Hunter Cup night earlier this year. The $3.20 favourite claimed the SKY Racing Trotters Handicap by 1.6m from Trottn On The Ritz on 5 February . His final run would be at Shepparton on 14 May where he ran a third placing in the Shepparton Trotters Cup. Ronerail was the second winner of the Group 3 Maori Mile at Bendigo's Lord's Raceway. He won the race in a record 1:56.6. Ironically the inaugural Maori Mile winner Acacia Ridge also died this year. In late February, he lost a battle with an infection and was humanely put down by his owners. - David Aldred with the files of HRV media.

4 June 2011 - Bendigo's rising star The Bohemian backed up last week's New South Wales Trotters Derby victory, winning the $25,000 Group 3 VHRSC The Holmfield (1720m) at Tabcorp Park Melton on Friday night. Trained and driven by Huntly's Anthony Crossland and raced by 10 Bendigo harness racing enthusiasts, the 3yo by Continentalman made it five wins from just seven starts for the locals with The Holmfield win, The Bohemian's biggest pay cheque. Crossland took full advantage of his inside gate and trailed the lead before using the sprint lane for the ride home. The Bohemian showed terrific speed to zip past the leader Theywannacallmesue (Kerryn Manning) and chase the Graham McDermott-trained Waikare Aristocrat which had been given full throttle by driver Grant Campbell. The Bohemian ($2.30 fav) proved far superior in the race to the post and scored by 3.3 metres from Waikare Aristocrat ($5.80) with Living Bonus ($18.20 - Gavin Lang) doing its best work at the finish to round out the top three eight metres from the winner. Bendigo's Daryl Douglas atoned for what he termed a luckless semi-final drive. when the Peter Tonkin traine Devilish Smile won the feature $100,000 Vicbred Super Series 3YO Colts and Geldings Final. The victory was a maiden Group 1 win for owners Russell and Pam Hockham. "We didn't have much luck last week, the wrong ones stopped at the wrong time and Pam got a little irate, which she normally doesn't do," Douglas said with a smile. "So last week we were mugs, but this week we're on top of the world." In the Final Douglas got lucky at the top of the straight when he was able to ease Devilsh Smile into the clear. The $12 chance produced a powerful burst of speed to race home with 1.7 metres to spare over Marleigh Ucha ($12) which used the sprint lane after enjoying a gun run on the back of the leader Suave Stuey Lombo ($8) which held on for third place, beaten less than two metres. Royal Verdict ($2.60) had to settle for fourth but lost no admirers after being forced five-wide around the turn, while joint $2.60 favourite Savesomtimetodream failed to replicate his semi effort, weakening in the straight to finish seventh, more than seven metres from the winner.  - David Aldred with files of HRV

3 June 2011 - Champion Victorian driver Chris Alford has capped a month to remember by raising a stunning $50,000 for the fight against neurofibromatosis (NF). Clearly spurred on by his NF Awareness campaign and four-year-old daughter Katie, the statistics show that Alford was the best driver in Australia throughout May, accumulating 31 wins (at a stellar average of one per day), 28 seconds and 24 thirds from 150 total drives. Alford’s victories included a pair of Vicbred Semi-Finals aboard Aussie Made Lombo and Suave Stuey Lombo, plus the Cinderella Stakes with elite mare Broadways Best. The Alfords went into the month hoping to raise $10,000 and reached this target within the first week, overwhelmed by the support of the Victorian harness racing industry. The final tally of almost $50,000 reflects Chris’ driver fees, pledges from fellow drivers and trainers, donations from members of the public and events such as the Gala Fundraiser that was staged at Tabcorp Park on May 20. Chris Alford said, “We are blown away by the generosity and goodwill shown by friends, colleagues and even complete strangers. 
For more information on Neurofibromatosis (NF) or to pledge your support, visit www.nfaa.org.au

3 June 2011 - Merv Dillon’s ability as a horseman and his contribution to harness racing as a trainer, driver, office bearer and consultant are well known. His great heart, love of people, passion for a chat and ability to spin a good yarn cemented his popularity in the industry. From his Dumosa racing stables in Marong or at any racetrack around Victoria, and sometimes beyond, Merv Dillon was happy to entertain. Merv had a great sense of humour and his sayings and stories hit the spot no matter how many times you heard them. Take snakes, for example. During laps of his Marong training track during the summer it was not uncommon to come across a brown snake happily basking on the warm sand. The horses didn’t care, failing even to break stride as they passed over a suddenly aggrieved reptile less than impressed a morning slumber had been disturbed. On returning to the stables the question was often asked of Merv: “How many bloody snakes have you got here?” His answer, although delivered a hundred times before, remained always humorous: “Only one, you just keep running into it”. The weather provided another “oldie but a goodie” moment for Merv. On days when most were muttering about the cold, the mud and the persistent rain, Merv would simply layer up with warm clothes, his well-worn wet weather gear and keep heading back out on the track – horse after horse. Days such as these tried valiantly to cover his trademark smile with a crust of sand and mud, but never succeeded. That smile rarely left his face when he was around his horses, the stables and people. Merv would go about his business as others cursed these days, offering a simple philosophy: “It’s just a passing shower – might take all day to pass though”. Of course, the day’s work was never done for Merv. When the last horse had been worked, the stables cleaned and morning visitors had all filtered away, no doubt better for the experience, Merv would announce it was time to head into the house to “do some bookwork”. Such dedication impressed those that didn't know him but it was the smirk that gave the real story away. In reality "bookwork" was codes for kick off the boots, stretch out in the recliner and enjoy a well earned sleep. Another Merv Dillon trademark was his toughness. On those rare mornings when a "young one" got the better of Merv,by tipping him out, it was obvious he was hurt. But there was ajob to be done and feeling sorry for yourself was never part of his make-up. He would simply soldier on to the next horse. Was there ever a "young one" that really go the bette rof him? His dedication was displayed week in week out as he travelled the night meetings as far a Mildura, only to be up and about first thing the next morning. When he had one good enough, Saturday nights were spent at Moonee Valley, but he rarely missed the early morning trials at Marong, Bendigo or Maryborough the next day. 
So many people in the harness racing industry have learned from Merv Dillon. In a tribute to the Bendigo Advertiser Daryal Douglas said Merv Dillon kick-started his career. Many others would harbour such thoughts. Merv loved telling the storuy of how the now richly talented reinsman and trainer Grant Campbell started driving horses at the Dumosa stables at ange where his feet rested in the dust sheet of the sulky because the footrests were well out of reach. It was fitting that Campbell won the feature race during a Mrev Dillon tribute meeting organised by the Charlton Harness Racing Club in 2008. Of course Merv didn't let the opportunity pass without telling the story of the young Grant Campbell one more time. A Death Notice in Wednesday's paper from Tim and Zoe Mannix summed up Merv's standing: "A great mate and a treasured mentor".
The first trip to the races with Merv remains a treasured one for me. While carting a truckload of horses to a far-flung venue such as Terang was a way of life for Merv, it was a major adventure for me. The adventure got even better when he won the first race. It reached mountainous heights when he puched home the second winner. Thankfully, I would learn many times over in the following years that Merv revelled in victory and could often be heard spruiking as the horses pulled up in the back straight after the race, all the way to the parade ring and back to the stalls. But Merv was a professional and spruiking while you worked came easy to him. On the other hand, I was now part of the Merv Dillon stable which was taking all before it that night at Terang. We had won the first two races with every chance of winning the third and this was time to put the chest out and soak up the rewards of victory. Suddenly, a bellowing voiuce snapped me back to reality. "Where's that bloody water? We haven't got all night!" The fact that I moved at only one speed - very slow - became a great source of amusement for Merv through the years. As did the fact I had no issue putting gear on any horse unless it was my own, at which time I would descend into a dithering mess. Merv simply stood back and chuckled away - it was entertainment for him. His favourite story centred on a day at Stawell where true to form nothing was going right putting the gear on Winchester Arms. As the battle with the hopples, boots and bridle raged on and the minutes to race time flew past with lightning speed, Merv could hardly contain himself for he had seen something that I was biissfully unaware of - there was a shoe missing. TRue to form, my discovery of this catastrophe was the catalyst for a meltdown to which Merv casually offered: "It will be in the float". After my fruitless search of the float, Merv wandered out to the car park, retrieved the shoe from its resting place under the straw and called the farrier to have it nailed back on. It made his day. These are just a few of my favourite memories knowing Merv Dillon. I never did get to tell him how much I appreciated his goodwill and that he, partner Lyn and son Tony had helped make my first transition away from "home" that much easier through their welcome acceptance. What's special about Merv is that everyone that attends his final farewell today, along with those that can't but knew him, will have their own "Merv Mermories". Sadly last Monday those memories became a lot more special. - Rod Case

31 May 2011 -  The Bendigo harness racing industry is mourning the death of Merv Dillon. The popular Marong-based trainer-driver died yesterday after a long battle with illness.
Dillon will be remembered as one of harness racing’s “best blokes”, according to Bendigo Harness Racing Club committeeman Peter Svanosio. “He was a great competitor on the track and a wonderful friend to many off the track,” Svanosio said. “He was a great contributor to harness racing. As a trainer he was a very good conditioner of horses and he was an underrated driver. “He won a lot of good races in Victoria over many years. “He was also on the committee of the BHRC for a number of years where he always made a strong contribution. “Even when he finished up on the committee you could always go to him to get his thoughts on how the industry was going and he’d have good ideas on what path we should take. “The best way to describe him is that no one would have a bad word to say about Merv Dillon.” Dillon first gained a harness racing driver’s licence in 1958, but Harness Racing Victoria records only go back to 1980. From 1980 onwards Dillon trained 705 winners, while as a driver he had 451 wins and 1049 placings for $1.16 million in prizemoney. His last winning drive was aboard Lorinda on August 7, 2003 at Charlton, which was fitting because Dillon was originally from Dumosa near Charlton. His stables at Marong were named Dumosa. Leading Victorian driver Daryl Douglas said Dillon had helped kickstart his illustrious career. “If I ever had a problem he’d be the first person I’d go to for advice and he was always there to help out,” Douglas said yesterday. “I was lucky enough to drive two of his better horses in his latter years in Flip A Dollar and Alley Luvzit. “Merv was a great horseman. He always had a good horse in his stable ... he was a very good operator.” Dillon’s funeral will be held on Friday 3 June in the Napier Park Chapel, 420 Napier St. Bendigo at 1:30pm. Please join the Bendigo Harness Racing Club in offering condolences to the family and friends of Merv Dillon. - With the files of the Bendigo Advertiser

28 May 2011 - Former top filly Life Inthefastlane capped a remarkable resurgence when she outgunned some of Australia’s best mares to win the $100,000 Nevele R Stud Queen Of The Pacific at Melton’s Tabcorp Park.
A year ago Doreen owner/trainer John Yeomans and wife Christine were preparing to say goodbye to the daughter of Life Sign, whom they also bred, when she was battling a severe case of colitis. “We had her down at Werribee Veterinary Clinic, she was in intensive care for two weeks and she was that close to death that we never thought she was going to survive,” Yeomans said.
“We went down to see her to virtually say goodbye. She had every sort of treatment, it was just so intensive and you wouldn’t have thought she could survive. We’ve got to thank the Werribee Veterinary Clinic that she did survive.”Incredibly, Australia’s only Group 1 standing start event for mares, run over the testing 2760 metres, was just Life Inthefastlane’s fourth run back from her life-threatening illness.The five-year-old took benefit from a solid third in the previous week’s Group 3 Ladyship Cup, which followed a Shepparton win, to finish powerfully from midfield and register her 15th win at her 49th trip to the races. Not only was it Life Inthefastlane’s first start beyond 2575m, it was also her first try at standing start conditions.“We always thought she was a stayer, her mother (Indigenous) was a very tough horse, but I must admit that we did not think she was quite prepared enough to win this race,” Yeomans said of the mare who started even money favourite in her two-year-old APG final. Most punters were in the same boat. Life Inthefastlane, who was driven by Daryl Douglas, returned $34 for her 4.3-metre win over $59 chance Pacific Playgirl with another longshot, Left In Paris ($21), just over a head away in third. Broadways Best ($2 fav) found working into the spot outside leader Mendelico mid-race after spotting her rivals a 20m headstart too much to counter, finishing in seventh spot, 14m from the winner. The mile rate was 2:00.6 – just 0.5secs outside Whipair’s track record – and included a 56.6-second last 800m. Douglas said the race didn’t go exactly how he thought, but it worked out for the best.“The plan was to be behind the leader, but when I was three-back the fence I thought, ‘oh well, I’m still a chance here’,” the Bendigo horseman said.“When I was able to get one off the fence halfway down the back and end up one-one and then peeled I thought, ‘they’re going to be battling to beat me’.” - With the files of Brad Bishop

27 May 2011 - One of the state’s largest harness racing syndicates, Snake Racing celebrated a big win at Bendigo’s Lord’s Raceway on Thursday night when promising three-year-old Our Calvados continued its winning form in the Symons Dairy 3yo Pace (2150m). Snake Racing’s 1, 2 and 3 syndicates consisting of 60 harness racing enthusiasts share with Anderson Racing, the ownership of the Glenn Douglas-trained Our Calvados which has now won three of six race starts. The Snake Racing Syndicate was formed by friends of the late Bendigo based owner/trainer Peter Crapper. After Peter, nicknamed Snake, died the syndicates formed to purchase the horses that he formerly raced. Our Calvados is their latest acquisition. The In The Pocket gelding was having his first start for the Snake Racing Syndicates and extended its winning streak to three races in a row, with previous wins at Melton and Kilmore this month. 36 of the syndicate members were on track to witness Daryl Douglas steer Our Calvados, the short-priced $1.40 favourite to a 1.9 metre victory over Major Command (Gavin Lang) with Pelling (Brian Gath), beaten 3 metres to round out the top three finishers. After the victory the owners surrounded the pacer on the track for a winner's photo. - David Aldred

May 2011 - In many parts of the world the month of May is a month of celebration. In this part of the world there is a celebration between two of the major standardbred breeding farms Alabar and Stallion Station with announcement of a merge of their stud operations. “It just makes so much sense that in these tough times for the breeding industry we have pooled our resources” said Stallion Station Director Gary Lyons. “With the savings of administration and advertising costs the new entity can now pass some of these savings onto broodmare owners in the form of reduced service fees” he added. With the new structure the Stallion Station premises at Toolern Vale Victoria will be closed and Courage Under Fire and Major in Art will relocate to Alabar’s property at Echuca in Northern Victoria. Whilst Mach Three (pictured above) and Art Official will move to the Alabar property on the outskirts of Auckland, New Zealand. The $4 million earner Mister Big will also be part of the new entity and will stand at a property yet to be decided. “This is a fantastic deal for Alabar to now add the proven sires Courage Under Fire and Mach Three to our roster, as well as three young horses who won in excess of $7 million between”, them stated Alabar Australia General Manager John Coffey. One of the Stallion Station Directors Robert Watson, now trading under the Soho Standardbreds banner, will support the new venture to the hilt with many of his 80-90 broodmares. The announcement of Service Fees for these five new additions to the roster, plus other Alabar stallions will be made in July and there is bound to be some good news in that announcement for Broodmare Owners.The Australian sires list (as at 21st May) reveals just how powerful this Alabar/Stallion Station entity will be with – Village Jasper, Courage Under Fire, Art Major, Armbro Operative, Mach Three and Grinfromeartoear, occupying six of the top nine positions on the Sires Premiership for 2010/11 season.The reports emanating out of Canada also suggest that the Alabar stallion Jeremes Jet is on the verge of something exciting. Two of Canada’s leading trainers, Casie Coleman and Jeff Gillis are singing the praises of their Jeremes Jet 2 year olds.

24 May 2011 - The future of the time-honoured Central Victorian Pacing and Trotting Championships looks very bright with the organising committee announcing a new six-year agreement with its major sponsor Warehouse Sales and a significant increase in prizemoney for the Series.
In 2012, both the Trotting and Pacing Championship Finals will be staked at $30,000 each, the highest in the Championship history. The secondary sponsor Loddon Valley Stud has also increased its contribution to the series. Charlton, Boort, Maryborough, St Arnaud, Wedderburn and Bendigo each conduct pacing and trotting heats of the Championships with the 2012 Finals scheduled to be conducted in January by the St Arnaud Harness Racing Club at the Charlton track. Central Victorian Championship Committee chairman John Campbell said the sponsorship increases and the decision by the committee to increase the Trotting Final Stakes to $30,000 was the most significant boost that the Series has had in its 52 year history. “I cannot emphasise enough the thanks for the support we have had for the series, in particular from our long term sponsor Warehouse Sales and their executives Vic Fenech and Bendigo’s Darren McPhail,” Campbell said. “My own business ‘Loddon Valley Stud’, has also increased the value of its contribution with services to our best stallions.” The Central Victorian Pacing Championship is one of the most sought after prizes on the Victorian Country harness racing calendar. First conducted in 1960 for a stake of 400 pounds, when former Trotting Control Board steward Rod Osborne scored aboard Miracle Echo at Echuca, the status of the race has grown over the years, with many of Victoria’s finest horsemen successful in winning the event which has been held annually throughout Central Victoria. Great horses from the past including Charles Armagh (1962 - Ken Pocock), You Crovottie 1964 – Bill Davies), Lord Setay (1966 – Dick Benger) and Honest Reward (1968 – Ralph Ford) have had their name etched into the history books by winning the race, with noted reins persons Ted Demmler, Noel Shinn, Clinton Welsh, Max Wishart, Brian Gath, John Caldow, Lance Justice, Kerryn Manning, Chris Alford, Gavin Lang, Bruce Clarke all piloting winners as the race progressed through the ages. It was decided to include the Central Victorian Trotting Championships into the mix in 1984, with Admiral Aaron (John Koek) being the inaugural victor. The stature of this race will continue to be part and parcel of the Victorian Country Harness Racing scene for many years to come. This year, the Central Victorian Championship Finals were held for the first time under lights at Bendigo’s Lord’s Raceway, adding another special chapter to the history of the Championships. The 2011 Pacing Champion winner, Bitobliss also underlined the quality of the Series winning two subsequent races and finishing runner up in the Group 1 Chariots of Fire at Menangle in New South Wales. - David Aldred

22 May 2011 - Bendigo mare Sassy Pinevale was once again outstanding on Saturday night, powering away to an impressive victory in the John Slack Memorial Trotters Cup at Bray Park, Ballarat. The Ross Graham trained CR Commando five-year-old mare outstayed gallant placegetters Gentle Image and Earl Of Mot in the 2710 metre $15,000 feature to win by 2.4 metres, closing the final quarter of the last mile in 28.8 seconds. Driven by ace Bendigo reinsman Daryl Douglas, Sassy Pinevale ($3.20) shared the back mark of 10 metres in the standing start with $2.40 favourite Earl Of Mot (Lance Justice). Douglas had Sassy Pinevale, one out and one back from the pacesetter Gentle Image (Kelly-Ann Dunne) going into the final circuit with Justice parked outside the leader on Earl Of Mot. The trio turned into the straight three abreast with Sassy Pinevale striding boldly on the outside to wear down Gentle Image and draw clear over the concluding stages. Another Bendigo trotter Billy The Brat (Ian White) finished on gamely to take fourth place. - David Aldred

19 May 2011 - Bendigo trotter Barneys Invasion will travel to New South Wales for a shot at the $20,000 Taylor Made Travel Trotter’s Championship (2300m) at Tabcorp Menangle on Friday night.  Longlea-based trainer Paul Morrissey will drive the eight-year-old Armbro Invasion gelding in the $8,000 qualifying heat from the inside of the 10 metre mark in the 13 horse first division. Barneys Invasion, the winner of the Crystal Bucket at Echuca three starts ago is the only interstate horse contesting this heat with two other Victorian’s Si Capisco, trained by Neville Welsh at Elmore and Kyvalley Mirage trained by Chris Lang at Nagambie contesting the second heat. Barneys Invasion, the winner of almost $65,000 has failed twice at Tabcorp Park Melton since his big victory in the Crystal Bucket but his last start fifth behind Alta Soliel in a 2240 metre standing start race was a very good performance. Held up in traffic in the 14 horse field, Barneys Invasion was finishing stronger than most of the field and came from near last into the straight to finish fifth beaten just over 10 metres. A good showing in Friday night’s heat will get Barneys Invasion into the final to be conducted at Menangle on 28 May. Chris Lang Aldebaran Park stables at Nagambie also has three starters in the feature $20,000 Taylor Made Travel NSW Trotters Oaks  (2300m) on Friday night. Lang will harness up the very promising Windsong’s Legacy filly Aldebaran Breeze, which he will drive, as well as Yankee Paco filly Class of Her own to be driven by Darren Hancock and first starter Kyvalley Aldebaran, a daughter of Sundon, to be driven by Ben Gledhill. Race sponsor Michael Taylor of TMT said he was thrilled that the Central Victorian and Goulburn Valley horses were making the trip to Sydney. “The visitors really makes these races and I am glad Paul, Neville and Chris are racing at Menangle, I’ve already contacted Chris to thank him for bringing his team,” Taylor said. - David Aldred

17 May 2011 - Bendigo reinsman Paul Campbell and Nic Dyer are part of a five driver team representing Victoria in the annual Elders Insurance Drivers Invitation Series to take place this Friday night at South Australia’s Port Pirie track. The Port Pirie Club have invited eleven drivers to compete in the Series. 
Five Victorian drivers and six South Australian drivers will contest a minimum of three races, scoring points for each drive in accordance with their finishing position. In addition to Maiden Gully trainer/driver Campbell and Junortoun driver Dyer, Michael Bellman, Lisa Miles and Caleb Lewis will also represent Victoria.  Dyer, Campbell and Lewis are all have been invited to contest the series for the first time. “I got the call up to say I was part of the Victoria team last week when Port Pirie Secretary Neville Thomson contacted me,” Campbell said. “It’s a tremendous competition and the Club gets great local support from the town, I just hope I draw some fast horses because the drivers there have all the local track knowledge which is a good head start on us.” The South Aussies in the Series are local champion David Harding, Ryan Hryhorec, Leah Harvey, Jake Webster and father and son duo David and Michael Smith. David Harding was last season’s Port Pirie Driver of the Year and currently SA’s leading driver with 157 winners to date.  Michael Smith was the leading young driver at Port Pirie in Season 2009/2010 while Jake Webster leads the way in the current season and will be representing South Australia in the Australasian Young Drivers Series in New Zealand in June. Leah Harvey, who will be driving on her home track, is the defending title holder, winning the Invitation series last year. 

11 May 2011 - With five consecutive victories four-year-old Bendigo-owned pacer Composed is a rising star in the Victorian harness racing ranks, but trainer David Aiken will be banking on luck riding with him at the “Black Friday the 13th“ Tabcorp Park Melton program where the gelding will contest a Semi Final for rich Vicbred Series.
Luck wasn’t with Composed at the barrier draw for the race with Bendigo’s best performed pacer this year snagging the outside draw on the front line. “I’m nervous already and this is just a semi,” part-owner, Bendigo HRC treasurer Paul Best said.  “He will want to be at the top of his game, the opposition is pretty darn good.” Composed, to be driven by Chris Alford, looks like he is in peak form, his last start victory at Bendigo was in a Vicbred Heat and he beat the subsequent Chariots of Fire runner up Bitobliss fair and square. That win was his fifth in a row and followed a Melton treble of wins and his victory in the KR Castlemaine Cup at Bendigo. This season, Composed has already won almost $73,000, racing 19 times for nine wins and six placings. A top performance in this race will elevate him into the $100,000 Vicbred 4yo C&G Series Final raced at Tabcorp Park next week.
Two of Composed’s main stumbling blocks en route to Final will be matched against him in his Semi Final. Gun New South Wales pacer Mach Wiper has gone unbeaten at his last four starts, winning three in NSW before looking extra special at his Victorian debut, winning a Vicbred Heat at Cranbourne last week. Mach Wiper is now trained and driven by superstar Mr Feelgood’s trainer/driver Luke McCarthy. The Mach Three 4yo entire has already paced a best mile rate of 1:54.1, easily the fastest of the 12 competitors in this race. McCarthy purchased the horse only a month ago and has been surprised by his recent string of wins. “I didn’t know too much about the horse to be honest before we bought him but we got him out of the Riverina and on the plus side of things it seems he is used to doing a fair bit of travelling to get to the races so the trip to Victoria last week for the heats didn’t worry him and I am expecting him to travel well again this week.” “I know he went 1:54 at Menangle two starts ago and he did that quite comfortably but some of the C2 horses can run that on a Tuesday so I am not going over the top.” 
Mach Wiper will start from gate four on the second row with another top contender Bitobliss (Scott Stewart) drawn three gates to his left on the inside of the second row.  Bitobliss has not finished out of the official three placing at 11 starts this season and his performances in Grand Circuit company on the spacious Menangle track have been superb. At two starts there, Bitobliss finished runner up to Motu Crusader in the $20,000 Hondo Grattan Stakes, then runner up to Lanercost in the $200,000 Chariots of Fire.  - David Aldred

11 May 2011 - Huntly reinsman Ashley Manton didn't take long to drive his first race winner, the 16 year-old, year 11 BTEC  school based apprentice triumphed at just his second race drive  at Wednesday night's Bendigo meeting.  Ashley, the grand son of the late Ted Manton and son of Huntley trainer Darren Manton made his race debut last month in the race named in honour of his grandfather. It wasn't a fairytale start to his career with his horse Pretty Girl Lassie finished well back after galloping in the trot. But second time around it was a different story. The teenager steered Prettylilangeleyes, a $29.00 longshot to a comfortable win in the Aldebaran Park Trotters Handicap.   A  7yo, Prettylilangeleyes, owned by the Manton family  is trained at Gillieston by Russell Thompson. It was Prettylilangeleyes first victory in 21 starts this season with her last win back in August 2010. Prettylilangeleyes won by 1.2 metres from Macuenroad with Billy The Brat rounding out the top three. Ashley praised the mare which  he shares ownership of with his parents. "She went really well, I am happy," he said. "I have a 50% strike rate, lets hope I can keep it."

11 May 2011 - Three-year-old Armbro Operative filly Little Red Cloud lived right up to the wraps her Goulburn Valley trainer Noel Tyndall has on her with a bullocking last stride victory in Wednesday night's Vicbred Super Series Heat at Lord's Raceway. With regular driver Craig Northcott back in the sulky after a suspension, the tiny pacer put her best foot forward to score a half head victory over Ezee Duzit Lombo (Daryl Douglas) with Secretive Lombo (Greg Sugars) rounding at the top three, four metres from the winner. Northcott kept the Little Red Cloud ($3.90) one out and three back in transit and she came with a big finish to just get up. The trainer blamed himself for the filly's blemish two starts back when she finished 10th in the Fillies Classic at Bendigo. "I drove her that night, tried something different and it didn't work," he said. At her last start a week ago, Little Red Cloud was piloted by Nigel Milne into fourth place in a 3CO race at Bendigo. But it was her first foray into the bigtime which underlined Little Red Cloud's potential. The half-sister to Tyndall's well performed Crocodile Tears finished fourth the Oaks at Melton won by Bettor Cover Lover. 

7 May 2011 - The state's leading trainer and driver combination of Glenn and Daryl Douglas teamed up for a win with a difference when victorious in the Decron Tandem Bike Challenge at Cranbourne.
 Run as a charitable fundraising activity for the Windermere community group, the novel race on 2 wheels brought together some of the state's leading identities who competed over the sprint trip of 220 metres. Representing Bendigo's Anderson Racing, the Douglas boys got an absolute fly from the mobile barrier and ran out comfortable winners from the determined Hy Gain Feeds team of Lisa Miles and Kate Gath and the Aldebaran Park pairing of Chris Lang Jr and Ken Tippet. The sport's elder statesmen in Chris Alford and Gavin Lang earned a spray from the Woodside Park team manager Noel Alexander after finishing a weakening 4th while Simone Walker and Tracey Lousada weighed in at the end of the field earning them the title of Slow Spice and Slower Spice from Seelite Windows and Doors boss Michael Taranto. The girls should be pleased with their efforts to raise funds for Winderemere on the night however and will now head to Cambodia for the 310km Windermere Adventure Challenge having raised over $10,000. Both Simone and Tracey (who works for the Cranbourne Club) are to be commended for their commitment to the Windermere organisation which supports disadvantaged children and families.

 2 May 2011 - Fans of leading Victorian reinsman Chris Alford are urged to get behind a major fundraising and awareness initiative he will undertake this month in support of NF Australia and The Children’s Tumor Foundation of Australia.
Neurofibromatosis (NF) is one of the most common genetic conditions in the world – more prevalent, in fact, than Cystic Fibrosis, Duchene Muscular Dystrophy and Huntington’s Disease combined.
The most common form of the illness (NF1) affects one in 3000 people and causes tumours to grow along the nerves, anywhere inside or outside the body. It is impossible to know how mildly or severely NF will affect any one person but common problems include deafness, blindness, bone deformities, brain and spine tumours, disfigurement and learning difficulties. The popular Bolinda horseman has a close personal link to the little known or understood affliction – his three-year-old daughter Katie was diagnosed with NF1 in July last year. The devastating news prompted Alford and his wife Alison to dedicate themselves to finding a means to educate the wider community about the genetic condition. They also committed to raise money to support research, in the hope of creating a brighter outlook for those with NF by ultimately uncovering a cure. The May promotion has been dubbed “Racing for a NF Free Future” and is supported by Harness Racing Victoria - Alford has been granted approval to wear special orange and black NF promotional colours in all his driving engagements for the month. Bendigo punters will get two more opportunities to help Alford make a difference in the race for an NF cure with racing at Lord's Raceway Wednesday night 11 May and Thursday night 26 May. It is hoped the highly visible prompt will encourage members of the harness racing media to back his project by promoting the initiative at every possible opportunity during May. Alison Alford said, “We have already been overwhelmed by the support of people in the harness racing industry. Katie’s diagnosis really knocked us around, especially Chris. I can’t even begin to explain the rollercoaster ride you go on when your child is diagnosed with something that there is no cure for, which is why in the end we felt we had to do something productive. “When we were throwing around ideas, I told Chris I was concerned about doing something so public but he wasn’t at all fazed and felt that there was no better way of showing her to be proud of who she is. “The day Katie was diagnosed with NF, I promised that I would never let NF define who she was. I don’t ever want to hear her say “I live with NF”. As far as I’m concerned , NF Lives with her and is just one of the many things that makes her the person she is. So here we are! “I just hope that the trainers and owners get on board with him. It’s as much about raising awareness through the colours as it is about raising funds.” Alford’s fans, fellow drivers, corporate sponsors, country clubs and supporters from all walks of the harness racing community are also encouraged to become involved by pledging a donation to the very worthwhile cause. It could be a specified dollar amount for every winner he drives during May, every drive he secures for the month or perhaps every time he finishes at the tail of the field. Alternately, you may wish to provide a donation, either by direct deposit or cheque, made payable to NFAA. All donations over $2 are tax deductible. To secure a pledge form, make a donation or for further information, contact Chris and Alison Alford on 0412 995 538 or email alfordracing@bigpond.com. For further information about NF, visit www.nfaa.org.au

2 May 2011 - Outstanding three-year-old Airzone continued on his winning way in the PetStock Power Mile (1650m) at Bendigo's Lords Raceway on Monday, pacing another sizzling time and easily beating his older opponents. It was the fourth win from 10 starts for the son of Jet Laag. His winning mile rate of 1:55.7 wasn't as slick as his 20 March Bendigo  track record 1:54.2 but he did it this time with plenty in reserve. Driver Greg Sugars had the $1.20 favourite travelling well from the outset, three back in the outside line, before starting his charge forward 500 metres from the finish. Sugars set sail out after his sister Kylie who was driving the bold going front runner Mach Class, trained by their father Ross Sugars. Mach Class ($9.30) had no answer for Airzone's finishing run and the little local pacer was given an easy drive to the line to score by seven metres. Village Peach ($38.60 - Tina Ridis) rounded out the top three. " He (Airzone) did it easily and his time is fantastic," owner Raeleene Howarth said. Trainer Dick Howarth will target Airzone at a Vicbred race in two weeks before contemplating a break for the developing young star. Three-year-old Courage Under Fire gelding Classievale overcame a early setback before racing to a narrow victory on debut in the Bendigo Mitsubishi 3yo Pace at Lords Raceway on Monday. Sent out a hot $1.80 favourite, the Craig Demmler trained New Zealand bred pacer stepped away well from the standing start, then broken a few strides later to settle back in the pack. Driver Jodi Quinlan worked her way forward to be within striking distance of the leaders by the final bend but Chris Alford made the favourite chase him sooling the Jayne Davies trained Samantha Sparkle to a big lead entering the straight. Quinlan switched Classievale back to the sprint lane for the ride home and the newcomer knuckled down to his task to score by a half head from Samantha Sparkle $12.30 with Wahush ($3.40 - Damien Wilson) five metres away in third place. Classivale finished off his final quarter in a strong 27.7 seconds. - David Aldred

25 April 2011 - Eight-year-old Bendigo square-gaiter Barneys Invasion scored his first win in over seven months, taking out the $15,000 J A Connelly Crystal Bucket at Echuca on Easter Sunday. Trained and driven by Bendigo Harness Racing Club committeeman Paul Morrissey, Barneys Invasion was the $38.00 outsider in the nine-horse feature race field. Morrissey had Barneys Invasion in third place behind the leader Si Capisco until the straight then the driver used the sprint lane to steer his trotter home to a narrow victory. Barneys Invasion beat Si Capisco ($9.70 - Neville Welsh) by a neck with My Mate Claudy ($3.90 - Scott Dyer) four metres away in third place. The $3.40 favourite Armed Guard finished fourth. The victory was the ninth for Barneys Invasion from 92 starts. He last greeted the judge first back in September last year at Warragul with the Ambro Invasion geklding's best 2011 performance before Sunday's victory, his third placing to stars Ronerail and Danny Cash in the SA Trotters Cup in January. Barneys Invasion is the seveth of eight foals that Morrissey has bred from his Nardins Byrd (USA) mare Anna Sophia, with Just Like Jack, Chase A Dream and Livingonadream the mare's other race winners. - David Aldred

20 April 2011 - Outstanding Goulburn Valley four-year-old Bitobliss will be primed for next week’s Group 1 Chariots of Fire with what appears to be an easy assignment in Saturday night’s 1st heat of the $10,000 Bendigo Party Hire Vicbred Super Series at Lord’s Raceway. Fresh from a sensational performance at Tabcorp Park, Menangle last week, Bitobliss will start a hot favourite for the race against just five competitors. His presence in the race has scared off most, but Bendigo’s 2010/11 Horse of the Year leader Composed, the winner of his last four races and the very handy Modern Warrior have remained in the six-horse line-up. Bitobliss, the winner of six of nine starts this season including the $30,000 Central Victorian Pacing Championship at Bendigo, is one right out of the box for Congupna trainer and driver Scott Stewart. Bred by the Stewart family, the son of Blissfull Hall has already paced a 1:55.4 mile and is shaping as grand circuit performer. The wraps are big for him and his connections have refused big offers from Western Australia and New Zealand.  “Yes there have been offers but he is a horse we bred and watched develop from a foal to what he is today, we will be keeping him,” Stewart said. The trainer said Bitobliss which placed third to big name pacers Motu Crusdaer and Lanercost in last week’s Hondo Grattan Stakes (1609m) at Menangle, is getting better and better with each run. “Every time we ask him to step up he does,” Stewart said. In the Hondo Grattan, Bitobliss met some of Australia’s most promising pacers and to do what he did travelling three and four wide around the 1400 metre Menangle track has raised the bar on whatever the horse has done before, according to Stewart. “From the awkward barrier he was always going to be giving good horses a head start and I was hoping he would justify going back for the Chariots of Fire and he did that,” Stewart said. “Both the horse and I will be better for our first run around the 1400 metre track.”  Stewart said Bitobliss pulled up from the tough Menangle race a treat, cleaning out his feed bin as soon as he returned to his box at Darren Hancock’s stable that night. “He spent the weekend in a paddock and he is feeling good so we decided to put him in the Bendigo race,” Stewart said. The Chariots of Fire, raced at Menangle on Saturday 30 April is the second biggest event on the New South Wales harness racing calendar each year – being runner-up to the $500,000 SEW Eurodrive Miracle Mile.  Like the Miracle Mile, Australasia's premier mile, the Chariots of Fire is of important significance to the Australasian calendar as being the single richest four-year-old race with $200,000 in prizemoney. First run in 1995, the Chariots of Fire has grown vastly in the pursuing years and is a race that has been contested by a number of future Grand Circuit stars. Lisa and David Miles’ Villagem was successful in the race last year and Stewart is hoping that Bitobliss can again fly the flag for Victoria. - David Aldred

21 April 2011 - Emma Stewart isn’t letting Our Surfer Girl’s failure at Cranbourne this weekt get her down ahead of Vicbred Super Series specialist Rocknrolla’s long-awaited return to the racetrack this Saturday night at Bendigo.
Like Our Surfer Girl, which Rocknrolla nosed out to win last year’s $100,000 Group 1 Vicbred 3YO Fillies Final, the daughter of Grinfromeartoear resumes from a lengthy spell in a heat of this year’s four-year-old mares division. This week'ss heat saw Our Surfer Girl gallop out before finishing eighth behind Hermione at her first start since cracking a pastern after her effortless 3YO Fillies Classic win last June, but Stewart is confident of a better showing from Rocknrolla. She also won the Vicbred crown at two and defending her titles has been the aim ever since Stewart put Rocknrolla aside after she beat home just two runners behind De Lovely in last July’s Australian Oaks at Tabcorp Park. “It’s been a long road back, but we’re looking forward to seeing her race again,” she said.
“She had a really bad virus when she came back from Sydney from the Australian Pacing Gold (in March) and we battled with it all season, but we just decided to give her a long spell so she could get over it and come back and defend her title this year. “She’s probably come back the best we’ve had her. We had a bit of a hiccup two weeks ago when we weren’t sure whether we were going to make it or not, but apart from that her work’s been really good and we’re really happy with her.” Rocknrolla might still be short of her best given she’s coming off a nine-month break, but Stewart thinks she’s capable of taking of her record to 13 wins from 22 starts. She will start from barrier five in the 2150-metre qualifier that includes Tabcorp Australasian Breeders Crown two-year-old champion Led Suitcase (three), in-form pair Nickle Miss (six) and Espshlilucky (nine) and the capable Illawong Cath (eight). “It is a strong heat and the others are all up and running, so we’re on the back foot a little bit there, but she’s had plenty of work at home and she trialled well on Sunday so she’ll definitely be forward enough,” Stewart said.Rocknrolla’s race, to be run at 6:55pm, is part of a big Easter Saturday night of Vicbred action at Bendigo. Another four-year-old mares’ heat, including classy types Revivalist (one), Art Shadow (two), Miss Trickin Lombo (seven) and Vapar Raine (10), will follow at 7:30pm. Our Flash Girl and Moyabamba headline a three-year-old trotting fillies heat that kicks off the program at 6:25pm, while the clash of Composed and Bitobliss headlines the four-year-old entires and geldings heat that rounds out the card at 10:00pm. - Brad Bishop

7 April 2011 - Glencoe, South Australia reinsman Jayson Finnis ended a frustrating sequence of minor placing’s with a win in the final race of the 2011 Goulburn Valley and Central Victoria Young Driver’s Challenge, taking competition honours on Thursday night at Shepparton. Finnis finished in minor placings in the majority of his drives during the six race Challenge series held at Maryborough, Bendigo and Shepparton on Wednesday and Thursday. But he stepped up to the plate to get the Michael Stanley trained three-year-old pacer Alrightythen home in first place in the sixth and final race of the penalty free series. The $2.10 race favourite, Alrightythen overcame difficulties during the race and travelled with a three wide trail before motoring home in a 58.8 last half mile to win by 3.3 metres in the 1609 metre event. Finnis, SA's leading under 25 driver in 2010, is the son of the prominent Mount Gambier based trainer Barry Finnis and his family is steeped in harness racing tradition. He has been successfully driving in South Australia for a few years and often crosses the Victorian border to partner horses trained by his father. Last season they had a lot of success with King Grin which won the final of the $50,000 Southern Cross 2yo at Globe Derby Park. Finnis who totalled 62 points won the Young Drivers Challenge by just one point over Victoria’s Rhys Nicholson (61) with 16-year-old Tasmania Alex Ashwood,who was joint leader with Finnis after two legs of the Challenge, finishing in third place on 56 points. Shepparton’s, Rebecca Bartley (Vic), the only female driver in the placed fourth with 50 points. The winning drivers during the Challenge Series were: Maryborough: Duncan Dornauf and Rhys Nicholson, Bendigo: Alex Ashwood and Michael Smith, Shepparton: Robert Morris and Jayson Finnis. The Young Driver Challenge Final standings were: 62 - Jayson Finnis (SA)  61 – Rhys Nicholson (Vic) 56 – Alex Ashwood (Tas)   50 – Rebecca Bartley (Vic)  48 – Robert Morris (NSW) 47 – Ashley Warton (Vic)  46 – Michael Smith (SA) 44 - Brad Cowan (Qld) 43 – Duncan Dornauf (Vic) 39 – Joshua Duggan (Vic) 37 - Jason Hackett (Vic). - David Aldred

31 March 2011 - Bendigo Harness Racing Club will recognise the outstanding career of the Club’s inaugural trotting Maori Mile winner, Acacia Ridge which was humanely put down by his owners just over a week ago.
On Thursday 31 March , the BHRC will race the “Vale Acacia Ridge” Trot at Lord’s Raceway in the memory of the nine-year-old gelding. Acacia Ridge gashed a leg in the Trotters Cup at Bendigo on 26 February and the wound was stitched on track. Despite the best daily care, the leg became infected. Owner Robyn Van Maanen did not want the horse to suffer and chose to have him put down.  “Robyn is the most caring person with horses that you could meet, she would have loved to put him on a float and take him home to retire, but the horse was in too much stress and could not be saved,” trainer Gary Hoban said.  Acacia Ridge is buried next to his yard where he spent his racing career at Hoban’s stables. Acacia Ridge was one of Victoria’s most brilliant square gaiters, when in peak form. The Anvil Lad NZ – Liberria gelding won more than $304,000 in stakes, racing 66 times for 22 wins and 16 minor placings. Among his victories were the 2005 Group 1 - Victoria Trotters Derby, 2006 Group 1 - Vic Bred 4yo Trotters Final, 2006 Tontine Trotters Final, 2007 Group 3 - Chris Howe Cup, 2009 Group 2 - Australasian Breeders Crown Graduate Trotters Trophy and the  2010 Group 3 - Aldebaran Park Maori Mile (at Bendigo).  Fittingly, the BHRC also erected two special plaques this week to recognise the Club’s Maori Mile winners – Acacia Ridge (2010) and Ronerail (2011). The bronze plaques were placed on the Maori's Idol Memorial Wall at the entry to Lord’s Raceway harness racing track. The winner of the Aldebaran Park Maori Mile will have a plaque placed on the wall each year the race is run. - David Aldred

29 March 2011 - Indications are that Sedgwick trained trotter Savannah Way could be in for his best season and the six-year-olds mentor Ross Graham will be out to underline the gelding’s recent good form with a victory in Thursday night’s Vale Acacia Ridge Trot at Bendigo’s Lords Raceway. Graham has had plenty of success with trotters in recent years. Savannah Way has won just four races during his 37 start career and so far this season he has stepped out just five times for a win and two minor placings. After being runner up to top trotters Sassy Pinevale and Backas Cobber at Melton and Geelong respectively, Savannah Way struck pay dirt for the first time this year at Kilmore two weeks ago, coming from an outside draw to beat the smart Chris Lang trained Mundaka in a tight finish.  On Thursday Savannah Way is back in the draw and will leave from gate two in the 2150 mobile. His toughest competitor, Mundaka to be driven by Chris Lang Jr. is drawn at gate one. Savannah Way is raced and was bred by South Muckleford’s Graham Old who owns the son of Sundon and Poets Glory with family members. Sedgewick trainer Graham is a popular local horseman who has been training for 15 years. He received his first trotter seven years ago. The 36 year old has taken to the caper like a natural and has had several outstanding performers including the Old’s owned Sunana Asset, Viva La Fever and more recently last season's juvenile trotting champion Rostevarren and this year’s Vic Bred trot winner Sassy Pinevale. Although he comes from a trotting family - his uncles Sedgewick’s Graeme Dalton and Bendigo’s Garry Graham are successful trainers - Graham has had to teach himself the finer points of handling trotters. "My grandfather had a few trotters, but largely I'm from a family who just had pacers," he said.  "For some reason my training track, which has a hill, and my methods seem to give my trotters more speed than my pacers." Whatever the reason, it’s certainly working for Graham and Savannah Way could add another ‘ win strike’ to the trainers impressive trotting tally. Bendigo’s eight race, Thursday night card kicks off at 6:30pm. - David Aldred

21 March 2011 - Locally trained Airzone jetted around Lords Raceway for a stunning record mile on Sunday.
The Longlea trained 3yo stopped the clock at 1:54.2 taking a half second off Summanus' previous best mile. Brilliantly driven by gun young pilot Greg Sugars, Dick Howarth’s electric son of Jet Laag was easily better than hiss rivals on the night winning by more than 21 metres. Raced by Raeleene Howarth Airzone was having its second race start this season and only his fourth lifetime race appearance. The record victory in the Boort Railway Hotel 3yo Pace (1609m) was Airzone's first win. - David Aldred

16 March 2011 – Sunday’s $12,000 Loddon Valley Stud Boort Pacing Cup at Lords Raceway Bendigo is shaping up to be an a being an all-star affair. Attracting one of the finest fields in its 33-year history and featuring as the middle leg of the North East Victorian showdown, the Boort Pacing Cup has attracted a super 12 horse line-up which includes, the current Melton Saddlery Victorian Country Cups Championship leader Village Of Dreams – the only horse in the race to start off 30 metres in the 2650 metre handicap. Also engaged are the proven Country Cup winners from the local Glenn Douglas stable, Our Hillview Gold and Stirling Charmer which will step away from a 20 metre mark. The Strathfieldsaye brothers’ Glenn and Daryl’s already have recorded five Boort Cup wins to date. Both Stirling Charmer and Our Hillview Gold have also registered Choice Hotel Country Cup wins this season. The rejuvenated Robert McCartney-trained nine-year-old Star City Roller was brilliantly driven by David Murphy to take out the Wangaratta Pacing Cup at Shepparton last Sunday to leave himself just one win shy of a $1500 bonus available for the first time in 2011. Star City Roller is in the running for the bonus that will be paid to the connections of any pacer that can win two of three Cups – the Wangarrata Cup, Boort Cup and Gunbower Cup, each raced this month. Having drawn to go from gate two after his breakthrough Country Cup victory last start, Star City Roller has a chance to claim the bonus at Lords Raceway. The same $1500 bonus is available to the winner of two of the three Trotters Cups held by the same clubs and despite Wangaratta Cup king Go Ahead Makemyday not nominating for Boort, a dozen very smart square-gaiters will be looking to open their accounts before Gunbower’s marquee meeting in seven days time. Among those set to contest the $12,000 Doyles Boomspraying Boort Trotters Cup are Chris Lang’s super promising square-gaiter Aleppo Sunrise (Ft, 5) and current Maoris Idol Series points leader, the Bendigo trained Lenny Lewis (30m, 13). Hampered by injuries throughout his 88-start career, Lenny Lewis has defied the odds to return to racing this season in peak form and despite starting behind every runner, he appeals as a huge chance to improve upon his fifth place in this race last season. Victory in the 2650-metre stand start staying test would also be welcome reward for his local trainer Alan McIntosh, who has nursed the eight-year-old son of Sundon back to racing to be a dual Country Cup winner already this season. Hosted by Rob Gaylard with support from guest tipster Lisa Justice, Boort’s  eight-race card will also feature great dining packages, entertainment from Australia’s Got Talent contestant Alana Conway and plenty of fun and competition where racegoers can win a six day Gold Coast Holiday for two.Kids will be admitted free to Lords Raceway for Boort’s biggest day with all other gate takings to be generously donated to the Charlton Harness Racing Club to aid in their recovery following flood devastation earlier in the year.

11 March 2011 – Nagambie trainer Chris Lang’s main trotting focus is in New Zealand this month with his two top boys, stable stars Sundon’s Gift and Let Me Thru the favoured duo for the $250,000 Inter Dominion Trotting Championship in Auckland, but on Saturday night at Bendigo Lang has three of his mares attempting to earn a place in the Final of the Lyn McPherson Breed For Speed Trotting “Gold” Sprint Series.   Two heats of the Gold & Silver Breed for Speed are being raced at Lords Raceway with the finals next Friday at Tabcorp Park Melton. The trotting series is very close to Lang’s heart with the Breed for Speed named after close family friend Lyn McPherson, the wife of prominent standardbred owner and breeder Duncan McPherson. Lyn succumbed to ovarian cancer last year. It is the second running of Sprint Series for trotting mares promoted by Harness Racing Victoria and Nagambie’s Aldebaran Park Stud. In memory of Lyn the event is proudly supporting the Women’s Cancer Foundation. “Harness Racing Victoria approached me and suggested that the “Breed for Speed” Series Final be named in honour of Lyn. I was overwhelmed by their thoughts and in addition to this Harness Racing Victoria, in particular Chief Executive Officer John Anderson, determined that the series and its concept be in support of the Women’s Cancer Foundation - Ovarian Cancer Institute,” Duncan McPherson said. “With this in mind, and noting that a large portion of industry participants are women, the thought of supporting the Women’s Cancer Foundation - Ovarian Cancer Institute allows all industry and allied participants to help create awareness of this disease and financially assist the Women’s Cancer Foundation- Ovarian Cancer Institute in their research efforts.” At Lords Raceway racegoers are asked to support the fundraising and join in the race meeting festivities. Included in the promotions is the inaugural Bouncy Pony Stakes featuring some of Victoria’s top drivers competing for the Women’s Cancer charity.  The BHRC will donate $100 to the charity in the Bouncy Pony Race winner’s name. Likely starters riding the inflatable horses imported from North America include: Inter Dominion contenders Lisa Miles and Chris Alford as well as Bendigo stars Daryl Douglas and Leigh Sutton. The Bouncy Pony Stakes is scheduled to take place after the third race (approximately 7:40pm). The Breed For Speed trotting heats have attracted quality fields in both the $7,000 Gold and Silver divisions with the mares competing for a place the $20,000 Gold Bred for Speed Final and $8,000 Silver Breed for Speed Final at Tabcorp Park Melton. In addition to the stakes on offer at Bendigo, Saturday night, the Bendigo Harness Racing Club has two $500 bonuses on offer for a mare that can better a 2:00 mile rate in the Silver T0 – T3 Final and 1:57 mile rate in the T4 or Better Final. Fittingly Duncan McPherson is represented in the Gold Series Breed for Speed heat by Aldebaran Maori which is going for its fifth victory from eight starts this season for trainer Chris Lang. Aldebaran Maori is one of three horse trained by Lang in the race.  Greg Sugars will partner Aldebaran Maori with Chris Lang Jr. flying back from NZ to drive Miss Warbucks and Ben Gledhill driving Happy Maori, the two other Lang stable representatives in the heat. In the Silver Series Heat Carisbrook trainer Brett Shipway has a strong representation with three starters. Shipway has the choice of partnering Earls Gold or Ships Choice with Mark Hayes partnering Kan Yu.

8 March 2011 - Inter Dominion aspirant Villagem sizzled at Lords Raceway Bendigo on Monday night, trialling anti-clockwise in preparation for this month's Championship in New Zealand. Driven by trainer Lisa Miles Villagem trialled with a galloping pacemaker driven by her husband David and cornered like a greyhound around the 1000 metre Bendigo track. David Miles clocked the Chariots Of Fire champion to pace his last half mile of a 2400 metre trip in under 55 seconds. "He actually went better than you think," a smiling Miles said after the trial. "He came home the last half in 54.9." Veteran  track clockers had the 5yo pacing the last quarter in a sizzling 26 and change. "Lisa said he cornered super which is great news because we were unsure before this trial and his one at Melton whether he would go the reverse way,he has done it well twice now, " Miles said. Villagem will have another trial going the reverse way at Kilmore next Tuesday before heading to Auckland on Saturday week.

4 March 2011 - Five-year-old gelding Live In Reality went over a year without winning race but  the Glenn Douglas trained pacer has quickly atoned for his long run of outs with back to back victories in successive days at Tabcorp Park Melton and Lords Raceway Bendigo. Before Thursday, Live In Reality hadn’t won a race since January 2010 then the Strathfieldsaye trainer got him back into the winners list with his brother Daryl guiding Live In Reality to a short half head win at Melton. On Friday, not to be outdone, Glenn took the reins for an all the way victory in the Schweppes Pace (2150 metres) at Lords Raceway. Starting the $1.90 favourite in the 2150 metrerpace, Live In Reality was rated perfectly by Douglas, who slipped the New Zealand bred son of Live Or Die into top gear on the final bend, establishing a winning break. Although Live In Reality tired in the race to the post he still had three metres to spare on  Storm Territory ($3.70 - Brian Gath) with 4.6 metres to Tarleton Matt (Nigel Milne) rounding out the top three. Live In Reality is raced by a syndicate of owners headed by Tanya Mielicki, the wife on ace Melbourne racecaller Dan Mielicki. - David Aldred

27 February 2011 -  The BHRC raised $4540 for the Charlton Harness Racing Club at the annual Community Cups event at Lords Raceway which this year doubled as a fund raising night. The BHRC auctioned two Adidas authentic Essendon guernsey's signed by the Club's AFL legend and coach James Hird and Essendon playing star and captain #4 Jobe Watson and a set of Hankook Tyres and ran a super raffle to raise the funds for the flood damaged harness racing club. Charlton HRC president John Tormey and his committee were at Bendigo to support the Community Cups night and gratefully received the funds raised from the Bendigo Club president Dennis Bice. Mr Bice, who organised the signed footy jumpers, said that the well sought after items raised $1600 for the appeal. Other items donated for the Charlton HRC Flood Appeal included a flat screen digital TV from Warehouse Sales and a $250 voucher courtesy of Jimmy Possum and $1000 Hankook Tyres. In all eight Cup races were run at Lords Raceway with the feature race the Stallion Station Bendigo Trotters Cup won by 2011 Inter Dominion Trotting Championship contender Danny Cash, driven by Kerryn Manning. Danny Cash started from the front mark and led from start to finish to score a comfortable 10 metre win. The Guardian/Kyneton Cup went to the Melton trained Grand Passion, driven by john Justice. Nova Rama (Matthew Higgins) won the Charlton Flood Appeal Cup. Chateau De Ville (Alex Douglas) scored an impressive win in the Empire State Hotel Inglewood Cup, Gambolalnight (John Caldow) carved out an impressive 1:56.1 mile to win the Elmore Events Centre Cup, the KR Castlemaine Cup went to Composed (Chris Alford), Modern Slippa (Nathan Jack won the Braidies Tavern Strathfieldsaye Cup and veteran Longlea driver Brian Gath teamed with My Sign to win the Champions IGA Cup. – David Aldred

25 February 2011 - Backing up from a super Dullard Cup performance at Melton last week to take up a select front row draw in the $15,000 Stallion Station Bendigo Trotters Cup, Great Western six-year-old gelding Danny Cash is going to prove the horse to beat in Saturday night's 2650 metre feature at Lords Raceway. Many regarded Danny Cash's minor placing in last week's Callea Pearce Lawyers Dullard Trotters Cup as the performance of his career. Danny Cash finished third to Inter Dominion Trotting favourites, the Chris Lang trained duo Let Me Thru and Sundon's Gift.  Slowly away from his pole draw, Danny Cash was left stranded near enough to last on straightening for home, only to miss winning by 3.8 metres in an effort to suggest he could also be a major player in Inter Dominion in New Zealand next month. Danny Cash has only one blemish in his form during the last four starts, that was when he finished down the track in the Australasian Trotters Final at Melton after having a torrid three wide run. Covering that faux par were a dashing second to Let Me Thru in the ATC heat at Ballarat; a brilliant win in  the Terang Trotters Cup on 12 February and his incredible last start third at Melton. The field in the Bendigo Trotters Cup is a cracker with the State's best squaregaiters minus Let Me Thru and Sundon's Gift lining up.  The 30 metre back markers in the stand start race include last week's Charlton Cup winner Lenny Lewis, Bendigo Maori Mile winner Ronerail and the 5yo star Down Under Muscles. 2010 Bendigo Maori Mile winner Acacia Ridge will start from 10 metres along with the very smart La Mosca. Past Bendigo Trotters Cup winners include True Roman (1986) Knights Pistol (1994) and A Touch Of Flair (2007). Last years Cup was won by Thepowerofhealing. The BHRC will host eight Cup races at the meeting including the Trotters Cup and seven Community Cups. The race night also doubles as a Community Fund Raiser with a auction that includes two Essendon Football jumpers signed by coach James Hird and team captain Jobe Watson among the items. The other major auction item is $1000 worth of Hankook Tyres. All funds raised in the auction and super raffle will be donated to the flood damaged Charlton Harness Racing Club - David Aldred

24 February 2011 - Nagambie harness racing trainer Chris Lang and his wife Sharon were at the New Zealand Premier Yearling Sales, along with Shepparton Harness Racing Club Manager Ian McDonald when the 6.3 deadly earthquake devestated the city of Christchurch. The Langs and McDonald described the fear of the quake in an ABC radio interview.  "It just started to rumble... the noise was deafening," Lang said. "You virtually couldn't stand up... we were holding onto each other trying to stand up and people started screaming and running out of the shed, fearing that it might collapse. "It was very scary at the time." McDonald says it was unlike anything he had experienced before."The horrendous noise of it and massive shaking of the building and probably the thing that sticks with me is that people were getting thrown to the ground the way that they were, it was just like people were on ice."Then when we got outside to see cars that were actually shaking and moving from the position where they were parked was an unbelievable experience as well." Many individuals involved in standardbred racing have been focusing their attention on Christchurch, New Zealand and Addington Raceway in light of the 6.3 magnitude earthquake which rocked the city earlier this week. Harness Racing New Zealand Chief Executive Edward Rennell has commented on the state of HRNZ's head office and Addington Raceway, which is scheduled to host the Inter Dominions from March 25 to April 8.Rennell said, “Our office at HRNZ is 10 minutes from town, where the worst carnage is. Our building itself has a number of cracks and we have almost lost a wall down the side. As a result the office is closed until Monday (February 28), hopefully by when we will have had an engineer into check it from a safety perspective." Rennell went on to explain that the organization's immediate priorities are its computer system so it can service clubs for racing purposes, which is now being done remotely. He also said he was not aware of any industry participants which had lost their lives in relation to the quake.“Addington Raceway has some significant damage to the facilities and the track. The track has a number of cracks and liquefaction in a few places. At this stage there won’t be racing there for the next three weeks while this is all hopefully addressed. In terms of the Inter Dominions which are due to start there on 25 March it will be touch and go with a lot of work required there, and also to the city infrastructure."

21 February 2011- Bendigo horses starred at Charlton on Sunday winning both the Trotters and Pacing Cups in front of a big crowd of locals who turned out to celebrate at their first major event since the township experienced a devastating flood. Its been a tough six weeks for Charlton with the town flooded twice, major business wiped out and homes lost. Cup day looked to be a good tonic for the community with a carnival atmosphere and  hundreds of locals enjoying their day at the track. Read More 
Strathfieldsaye brothers Glenn and Daryl Douglas teamed with the ultra-consistant Our Hillview Gold to win the feature race, the $25,000 Hankook 2011 Charlton Pacing Cup (2570m). Making it a Bendigo feature double Lenny Lewis found its best form for trainer Alan McIntosh to unleash a huge finish for driver Chris Alford and win the $15,000 Charlton & District Community Bank Trotters Cup (2570m). Aided by a typically dashing Daryl Douglas drive, teak tough four-year-old Our Hillview Gold pick up his  second Choice Hotels Country Cup circuit success this season. The brilliant son of Badlands Hanover had already taken out the  Ouyen Cup a month ago and is quickly establishing himself as one of Victoria’s most exciting young pacers. The Charlton Cup was Our Hillview Gold’s 11th win from 16 starts this term. Champion driver Daryl Douglas found the top quite early and from then on was able to control the race. “We didn’t have any set plans going into the race, but Daryl summed the situation up to a tee and once he got the front, the horse was always going to be very difficult to beat,” Glenn Douglas said. “Every time this horse goes to the races he finds another gear. He’s surprised me since day one pretty much, and to come out and beat the quality of horse he did tonight is a credit to him.” Only fair to begin, the Spring Championship Final winner Our Hillview Gold was hunted up early to take up his pet position. It looked as though Douglas would settle outside the early leader In Monaco but Victoria's champion driver let his horse slide to go to the front through a lead time of 74.8 seconds.With little pressure applied through the middle stages of the race, despite several moves from the rear of the field, Douglas' early play for the front became a masterstroke. Cruising through first half fractions of 32.1 and 31 seconds respectively, the rising star only released the brakes 800 metres from home, laying down a brutal third split of 27.9 with Lance Justice's Hollywood Bromac gasping for air in the breeze. There were to be challenges late, with Mendelico, Echuca Cup hero, Tanabi Bromac and Captain Joy all charging from the back down the lane. Completing a 2:01.5 mile rate with a closing cut of 28.2, Our Hillview Gold ($7.30) defied weary legs to take out Charlton’s flagship feature by a half neck from top mare Mendelico ($12.70 - John Caldow) with Tanabi Bromac ($9.00 - Kerry Manning) a further three metres away in third. A disappointment of the race was Melton Saddlery Victorian Country Cup Championship points leader and Cup favourite Village Of Dreams ($2.00 - Gavin Lang) who only managed to beat two of the 10 starters home. In the Trotters Cup injury plagued Lenny Lewis powered home from his 20 metre back mark to claim the Cup victory by 1.2 metres. The eight-year-old squaregaiter trained at Lords Raceway and raced by the McIntosh family produced a barnstorming finish to register his 18th lifetime win. The son of Sundon started at odds of $27.50 and was driven by Chris Alford. It was Lenny Lewis second start from a brief let up. In December Alford also steered him to win the Yarra Valley River Gum Trotters Cup. - David Aldred with the files of Jason Bonnington.

22 February 2011 - Bendigo Harness Racing Club will receive funding of $320,000 for two new projects to commence at Lords Raceway in the coming months, Racing Minister the Hon. Denis Napthine announced on Tuesday. The projects to be funded 50/50 by the State Government and Harness Racing Victoria will see the latest in lighting technology installed at Lords Raceway. The track light diming technology, which in a world first was introduced to Tabcorp Park Melton last racing season, will be installed at Bendigo's Harness Racing track, providing substantial savings on the Clubs future power bills. The 'green' technology will also cut greenhouse gas emissions from the track lighting by 34% and greatly extend the life of the lamps from eight to almost 11 years. 

15 February 2011 - Bendigo Harness Racing Club will host two heats of the Lyn McPherson Memorial  Breed For Speed Trotting Mares Sprint Series next month. For the first time there will be a Gold and Silver Series for the Breed For Speed with Bendigo hosting the second heats of the Gold (T4 or Better) and Silver (T0 to T3) on Saturday 12 March at Lords Raceway. The series carries $65,000 in prizemoney, trophies and bonuses with the first of the  Gold Heats staged at Maryborough on 2 March and the first of the Silver Heats raced at Shepparton on 7 March. The Maryborough, Shepparton and Bendigo Heats will be raced over 1609 metres. The Group 3 $20,000 Gold Series Final will be raced at Tabcorp Park on Friday 18 March  over 1720 metres with the $8,000 Silver Series Final raced at the same meeting. On Tuesday, Harness Racing Victoria  launched the 2011 Breed For Speed - Girls Night Out concept which in conjunction with Radio station Mix101.1, seeks to raise money for research into ovarian cancer. Last year’s inaugural event raised over $32,000 for the Australian Women’s Cancer Foundation to improve women’s health and quality of life and it’s hoped this figure can be eclipsed through the Mix101.1 Girls Night Out on Breed For Speed Finals night (18 March).  The launch was held at the Royal Saxon in Richmond where Olympic gold medallist rower James Tomkins and media personality Tracey Curro were on hand to help promote the event and generate awareness for the cause. Harness Racing Victoria CEO John Anderson said, “Last year’s inaugural event was a tremendous success and now the concept is off the ground, we hope to develop it into a significant fundraiser for research into ovarian cancer. “As such, we hope to see a fantastic turnout at Tabcorp Park for the Girls Night Out which will feature fine dining, a full card of harness racing action and a brand new HRV Fashions on the Field competition.”
Categories for the inaugural HRV Fashions on the Field include:
•    Ladies Classic Racing Style
•    Men’s Classic Style
•    Ladies Contemporary Style
•    Head Turning Hats & Fantastic Fascinators
As well as being celebrity judges of Fashions on the Field, Mix101.1 personalities Ant and Becks will be hosting a Beauty Marquee on the night featuring a live DJ, plus all drinks and canapés. To book your Finals night ticket for just $55, visit www.breedforspeed.com

10 February 2011 - Elmore star Tanabi Bromac produced a whirlwind finish to score stunning victory in Wednesday night's Alabar Echuca Pacing Cup. The 2530 metre Stand Start Cup which was washed out during the floods last month was rescheduled to the midweek slot and resulted in a great climax. The Cup developed into a stunning last lap battle between backmarkers Tanabi Bromac (Jodi Quinlan) and Jaccka Clive (Scott Dyer). Coming from a 20 metre handicap, the Keith Cotchin trained Tanabi Bromac was last to get the bell but Quinlan sooled him forward on the back of Jaccka Clive (10 metres) to set up a great finish. The duo reeled back the leders before the final turn on the tight track then burst away to fight out the race with Flash Of Freedon (Mark Lee) down the straight. The 2008 Victoria Derby winner and an Inter Dominion contender last season, Tanabi Bromac ($3.60 fav) outsprinted the David Aiken trained Jaccka Clive ($10.40) to win by 1.2 metres with only a half head to the race leader Flash Of Freedom ($13.10) which held on gallantly to complete the top three, 1.3 metres ahead of the Bendigo trained Crusherdust (Glenn Douglas) in fourth place. “There was a lot of pressure tonight to stand up and be counted,” Tanabi Bromac's trainer Cotchin said. “We haven’t had much luck of late so it was good to get the job done. “He’s never been going badly, he just needed the circumstances to suit, and while it wasn’t easy again here he really did put in a good effort to win.” The next local Choice Hotels Country Cup will be raced at Charlton on Sunday 20 February. Cotchin has confirmed that Tanabi Bromac will be a starter. “We’ll head to Charlton next all being well. The beauty for me is that will be only half an hour from home and from there we can push on with the rest of the season,” he said. - David Aldred

8 February 2011 - The BHRC is hoping that two Adidas authentic Essendon guernsey's signed by the Club's AFL legend and coach James Hird and Essendon playing star #4 Jobe Watson will boost the fundraising at this month's Flood Appeal race night on Saturday 26 February. 
The Flood Appeal fundriaser will be held on the Club's annual Community Cup night  at Lords Raceway.Club President Dennis Bice, who organised the signed footy jumpers, said that they are well sought after items. At a Bendigo Bank Fundraising auction this week, a guernsey signed by Hird and Watson was sold for more than $2,000. The Bendigo Bank Flood Appeal  raised $43,000. "We are hoping to raise as much money as we can for those affected by the floods," Bice said. "At the Bendigo Harness Racing Club we will be concentrating on raising funds for the Charlton Harness Racing Club which suffered a lot of damage in the latest floods." Other items donated for the Flood Appeal include a flat screen digital TV from Warehouse Sales and a $250 voucher courtesy of Jimmy Possum. - David Aldred

8 February 2011 - One of Australia's most successful exports to North America Darren McCall was at Bendigo's Lord's Raceway on Monday night. A Queenslander, McCall returned home last month after 11 years in the US and Canada. The 40-year-old has moved to Caboolture, north of Brisbane where he will prepare the successful Canadian mare Ice Ice Baby (p,3:1:52.3) who competed in the Ontario Sire Stakes last year taking her earnings so far  to $215,000.  McCall and his wife Karina race the three-year-old Canadian daughter of Modern Art which arrives in Brisbane  on Sunday. McCall also has  his brilliant mare Warrawee Flare (p,1:50.3 -$609,019) with a six week old  Somebeachsomewhere filly at Caboolture. The royal-bred filly is the first foal of Warrawee Flare, a daughter of Northern Luck. This season the champion mare was bred to Art Major and is in foal. McCall is currently based at a friend's property and is located within easy travelling distance to Brisbane's Albion Park. "It (the farm) has been sitting there quiet for some time and has a good track so we're happy to base there for the moment," McCall said. "Being close to Sydney or even to Bendigo where my sister Sharon (Furey) is - may be in the works yet but this is a good first step to get organised and then we'll see how everything shakes out. I've had calls from a number of people already about yearlings and have one maybe two horses coming from Tasmania that I will train, so I am pretty happy with developments so far." McCall went to Sundays APG Melbourne Yearling Sales but didn't add a horse to his team. The talented horseman originally went to North America in 1998 to work for trainer Ross Croghan in New Jersey for what was to be  a three month working holiday. But from there he went to Ontario in 2002. "I always intended to come back home, I've never kept that a secret," McCall said. I learned a lot in North America and experienced a lot, that's what kept me there for so long." McCall had notable success while stabling in Ontario with the likes of top pacing mare, Carolina Sunshine, who retired with over $1.3 million in earnings and is a Woodbine and co-world record holder, having recorded a 1:48.4 mile in 2003. Other top performers from the McCall barn include two-time Breeders Crown champion Corleone Kosmos, millionaires Southwind Tempo, Tug River Princess and Deuce Seelster, who competed for McCall while in Ontario. - David Aldred

5 February 2011 - Australasian Breeders Crown Mares champion Make Mine Cullen will be given a confidence boost when she returns to racing against her own gender, according to driver Daryl Douglas. Make Mine Cullen finished 9th in Saturday night's Group 1 BIG6 Hunter Cup won by Stunin Cullen. The Strathfieldsaye mare flew the flag high for trainer Glenn Douglas' stable winning the Breeders Crown last August and franked that form with a victory in the Group 2 Kilmore Cup this season. She also ran a bottler of a race in Smoken Up's 2010 Miracle Mile. But she has not played a starring role against top company recently failing in the Victoria, Bendigo and Shepparton Cups. Douglas indicated she may now need a confidence boost to get her back into winning form "She had a good run (in the Huinter Cup), but couldn't finish She'll go back to mares grade now and thick their bum, Daryl Douglas said. Trainer Glenn Douglas also has ruled out campaigning Make Mine Cullen in New Zealand. " We will keep her home," Douglas said. - David Aldred

6 February 2011 - Bendigo Harness Racing Club will race on Monday night (7th Feb.) at Lords Raceway despite Friday night's heavy rain storm flooding and guttering the racetrack.
 A track team spear-headed by Bendigo based HRV consultant Graeme Maher worked around the clock Sunday to repair the raceway which was stripped of material to beneath its base in some sections. Maher, BHRC track curator, Chris Boseley, Tom Byrne, Len Maher and Graeme's sons Steve and Brett Maher worked with grader specialist Bob "Bluey" Truscott and Ray Fitzgibbons to repair the surface and bring it back to  race condition.  "This was the worst washout I have seen on this track," Graeme Maher said. "It was no good looking at it though, we just had to get in and fix it."  
Maher praised  the skills of machinery operators  Truscott and Fitzgibbons and said that work on the track surface will continue through Monday to get it perfect for racing.
Anyone that inspected the track after the Friday rainstorm which flooded the district and then again after more rain fell on Saturday would have given 'cricket score' odds about Bendigo racing on Monday. Well done to the entire team that worked on the track repair.  - David Aldred

5 February 2011 - Chris Lang Jr rated sensational Nagambie trained 5yo Let Me Thru perfectly to lead all the way in the $150,000 Group 1 SEW-Eurodrive Australasian Trotting Championship Final (2760m) at Tabcorp Park Melton, Saturday night. Junior controlled the race piloting the Chris Lang trained son of Muscles Yankee and shook off a determined challenge from Kiwi raider I Can Doosit (Mark Purdon) at the quarter mile pole to establish a five metre break on his challengers and hold that margin all the way to the finish. Cutting out a final mile in 2:00.7 Let Me Thru easily held a chasing Down Under Muscles (Chris Alford) in the dash to the finish with La Mosca (Rod Petroff) finishing the race off nicely to fill third place 8.5 metres from the winner. I Can Doosit weakened to place fourth. The overall time for the  journey was 3:36.2 with a 2:06.1 mile. There was no doubt about who was "The King" on the night, Let Me Thru was simply awesome. The victory was his sixth in a row and his record has been perfect with four wins from four starts this season. Trainer Chris lang doubted that even his dual Inter Dominion Trotting Champion Sundons Gift could have beaten Let Me Thru in this race. Lang decided to bypass the Trotting Championship with his star performer.  “The one thing I’d like to know is if anyone thinks Sundons Gift could have sat outside this horse (Let Me Thru) and beaten him, because I don’t think he could,” the gun horseman revealed. “He’s a real horse of the future this bloke, and with a brilliant drive tonight he showed everyone what we already knew about him.” Let Me Thru has now won five Group 1 races with the Australiasian Championship win his biggest pay cheque. Let Me Thru was bred and is raced by RJ and P Matthews. - David Aldred

26 January 2011 - Glenn  Comensoli-trained four-year-old Summanus posted a new track record time at Bendigo’s Lords Raceway on Australia Day shaving 2/10ths of a second off the previous best mile set by Ransom Olds at this month's Bendigo Pacing Cup meeting.Driven by David Moran the Jet Laag gelding clocked a 1:54.7 mile to win the Ultra Pour-On Pace on his home track. Junortoun-based Comensoli trains at Lords Raceway and he was excited by Summanus’ brilliant performance. “He (David Moran) didn’t even need to pull the plugs (ear plugs) he did it easy,” Comensoli said. It was Summanus’ first victory since November and easily his best winning time with his previous best mile paced in 1:57.8. Moran was trapped wide on the grey early and raced three wide with cover for the first lap. At the bell he moved forward to race outside the leader Three Card Brag (Nathan Cahir) who had been carting the field  through a 58.5 first half mile.  Moran kept a good hold on Summanus until the final quarter, covering the third split in 28.9, then surged forward to spear clear around the final bend and finishing in high cruise speed mode with the $1.60 favourite covering the final quarter in 27.1. Three Card Brag ($5.40) was 11 metres away in second place with Gyro Spirit ($7.60 -Daryl Douglas) beaten 16.7 metres in third place. It was Moran's first drive on Summanus but after the race Comensoli promised him more. “Wherever he goes if you’re available, you can have the drive,” Comensoli told Moran.  Summanus is raced by Troy Comensoli and has now won 10 races from 37 starts.

28 January 2011 - Former Inter Dominion winning driver Scott Stewart steered Bitobliss to a record-breaking victory in the 52nd running of the Group 3 Warehouse Sales Central Victorian Pacing Championships at Bendigo on Thursday night. Stewart a student of the late great reinsman Vin Knight tracked a wide course on his son of Blissfull Hall which is raced  by his father Don. A 10 metre equal backmaker in the Championship, Bitobliss ($5.10) came out after frontrunner Arber (Chris Alford), the $2.50 favourite, on the final bend and wore him down to win by 1.3 metres. Sir Clive (Gavin Lang) was 3.5 metres away in third place. Don Stewart complimented his son for his hard work and said that he had personally achieved a long time goal. "Its a race I've want to win," Stewart said in his acceptance speech. Bitofbliss smashed the 2150 metre record, pacing a 1:57.5 mile rate, 1.5 seconds faster than the previous best over the distance. His overall time was 2:37.7. Bendigo's Lords Raceway is lightning fast at the moment with three records set in as many race meetings conducted by the Club. Scott Stewart is best known as the driver of 1989 Inter Dominion Champion Jodies Babe. In Perth he drove the bonny Vin Knight trained mare to victory while Knight piloted the runner-up Our Maestro into second place. Chris Lang and Chris Lang Jr combined to win the Group 3 Warehouse Sales Central Victorian Trotting Championships. The winner Good Thanks is on a winning streak with four wins from four starts this season and Lang Jr. drove the $1.80 favourite confidently.The mare spread-eagled her opposition to win by almost 13 metres. Mister Castleton ($12.00 - Ellen Tormey) finished second with $56.00 longshot Trappers Puzzle (Rod Petroff) giving a good early sight in front before holding on for third. The SJ Photo - Howdoudo 4yo mare was bred Will Shellie and owner/trainer was Peter Shellie.  She is third generation of the Shellie's foundation mare Lucky Dinah. Chris Lang said he got Good Thanks from Shellie, when she was going good and she has continued to race well to achieve this target set for her. Lang also revealed that Good Thanks is likely to be in foal to Aldebaran Park's international sire Eilean Donan.- David Aldred

26 January 2011 - Chris Alford primed two glamour horses, super mare Broadways Best and Inter Dominion Trotting Championship aspirant Down Under Muscles, for their upcoming major assignments on Monday night at the Bendigo trials. The Shannon McLean trained Broadway's Best coasted to an easy 2150 metre (MS) trial victory against just two opponents while Down Under Muscles looked good coming from a 40 metre handicap to finish second, beaten a head by Bendigo's SA Trotting Cup placegetter Barney's Invasion in its 2150 metre (SS) trial. Alford gave Broadways Best an easy time to register a 1:58.6 mile rate, the Village Jasper mare pacing home her final quarter in 27.4. "She did it easy, she is quite fit and coasted under her own steam," Alford said. The mare, which has won almost $350,000 including the Group 1 Victoria Oaks and Group 1 Vic Bred Series, is likely to have one more trial before contesting the Angelique Club Cup at Tabcorp Park on 5 February. Broadway's Best hasn't raced since finishing third to Bendigo's Make Mine Cullen in the 4yo Breeders Crown Final last August. Down Under Muscles has a much more immediate assignment. Alford will start him  at Ballarat on Saturday night in a heat of the Australasian Trotting Championship. "Down Under Muscles had a nice trial," Alford said. The trainer was pleased with the trotter's last mile time of 2:01.5.  Barneys Invasion (Paul Morrissey) and Algranco Alive (Jason Tyack) matched  motors with Down Under Muscles in a great three way finish. "He needed the hit out, so that (trial) was good," Alford said. Down Under Muscles, by Muscles Yankee,  has won almost $180,000. The rising star hasn't raced since failing in the Group Australian Trotting Grand Prix won by Sundon's Gift in December.  Alford said he hasn't totally made up his mind but he is more than likely to give Down Under Muscles just a few starts before shipping the horse to New Zealand to prepare for the Inter Dominion. "I haven't finalised the flights yet but the Inters is the goal, so he will not have too many starts here beforehand, hopefully he will make final of the Trotting Championship," Alford said. - David Aldred

26 January 2011 - Radio Station Program Directors generally study the ratings with their target to attract the biggest listening audience possible but this week the harness racing form guide has taken precedence over the ratings charts for Bendigo Radio 3BO’s  Program Director, Bryan Coghlan.
The local media man has just one target in mind, winning the time-honoured $30,000 Warehouse Sales Central Victorian Championship Final at Lords Raceway on Thursday night with his latest acquisition Chief Inanga. Coghlan loves his harness racing and six months ago along with Andrew Curran and John Hazeldene, he became a co-owner of the six-year-old Mach Three gelding which has thrived under the tutelage of Huntly trainer/driver Anthony Crossland. Coghlan said that the foursome’s plans to win the Championship are coming together but he said;” the team is still very nervous”. Chief Inanga will start from the pole position in the Group 3 race which for the first time is being held at the Bendigo track. Coghlan credited Curran with selecting Chief Inanga. The owner of Grand Circuit performer Mysta Magical Mach, Curran has an eye for big race performers. Mysta Magical Mach was the runner up in this year’s WA Pacing Cup and winner of the WA Pacing Cup three years ago.Chief Inanga showed good form early in its career in New Zealand and Curran made the selection, hoping the pacer could advance its career here. Chief Inanga won his first four starts before a series of unplaced performances in New Zealand during the 2008/09 season. After a 12 month absence from the racetrack, Chief Inanga was an instant winner for Crossland on debut in Australia in the Donald Cup at Charlton last month. On 7 January the classically bred type made it two wins from just four local starts, winning the Warehouse Sales Central Victorian Pacing Championship Heat (2100m) at Charlton. In that race he was untroubled to lead from start to finish and score by five metres. “Anthony has done a terrific job with this horse, the Charlton wins were a massive buzz for all of us,” Coghlan said. “But it would be absolutely huge for us to win a prestigious race in our home town of Bendigo.” Chief Inanga has raced 45 times, winning six races and almost $55,000 in stakes. The first prize for the Central Victorian Championship is $20,250. Two other local pacers also made the Final field.  Maiden Gully trained It And A Bit is in the starting line up and his stable mate Dual Agent Tabman is the first emergency. Both horses are harnessed up by Paul Campbell. The pacers were both placed third in their respective Central Victorian Pacing Championship heats. Daryl Douglas will drive It And A Bit, a recent Bendigo winner from the back row. Four-year-old Village Jasper gelding Arber is likely to line up as the Pacing Championship favourite. Armstrong trainer Brooke Hansen returned Arber to the races for its first start since August to win its Heat at Maryborough last week. The victory was Arber’s fifth from just starts. Chris Alford will drive Arber which will start from gate four. - David Aldred

23 January 2011 - Geoff Webster's Mister Swinger came with a barnstorming finish to snatch a last stride win in the Group 2 Shepparton Gold Cup (2690m) on Saturday night.  Held up in a traffic jam midway through the last half mile, driver Greg Sugars dropped Mister Swinger back before peeling to the outside at the top of the straight. Frontrunner Karlsruhe (Chris Alford) was low flying to the final bend and kicked away with a commanding lead but by the 250 metres the David Aiken trained pacer was running on empty. Mister Swinger and Kerryn Manning's Standelle finished the best of the swoopers. The last half mile was covered in 55.2 and Mister Swinger ($17.40) reeled in Karlsruhe ($7.30) to win by a neck with just 1.3 metres to Standelle ($7.50).  Bendigo mare Make Mine Cullen (Daryl Douglas) was the first of the 10 metre back markers home and finished fourth 6 metres from the winner. Just 7 metres covered the first seven horses. $4.20 hotshot Villagem (Lisa Miles) galloped away from the stand and then travelled wide before finishing in seventh place. The $2.80 favourite The Sleepy Tripp (Mark Purdon) didn't produce the same dash as he did in the Victoria Cup. The Kiwi pacer began badly and then travelled wide. The mile rate for the Cup was 2:00.8. It was the second win for Mister Swinger this season. Last week the gelding finished fifth in the Bendigo Pacing Cup won by Smoken Up. Webster will now take the son of  Village Jasper to Ballarat for the Group 1 PETstock Ballarat Cup, a race Mister Swinger won two years ago. 
In the Group 2 Trotters Cup Purdon's I Can Doosit ended Ronerail's winning trot. Ronerail (Kerryn Manning) led with I Can Doosit going to the chair for the final circuit. The pair matched strides into the straight with I Can Doosit ($3.00) wearing down Ronerail ($1.60 fav) close to the post. The locally trained Go Ahead Makemyday ($26.10 - Chris Lang) finished third. - David Aldred

20 January 2011 - Hamilton part-owner/trainer David Lewis and nephew reinsman Caleb Lewis were successful at the St Arnaud harness racing meeting held at Maryborough on Wednesday 19 January, with quality Bettors Delight/Frosty Mattina gelding Abettorpunt in the Town Of St Arnaud 3-Y-0 Pace over 2190 metres. A prohibitive $1.04 favourite, Abettorpunt which had been so disappointing when third to Glengowan in the recent South Australian Derby after leading, faced the breeze on this occasion from gate six, before asserting his authority on turning to score from the pacemaker Farmersntradies to give the Western District the quinella, with Scan The Calls a gap away third after a sweet one/one trip from the pole.
The mile rate was 2-00.9.


Stawell breeder/owner/trainer Owen Martin combined with son-in-law Michael Sullivan to snare the Central Goldfields Pace for C1 class over 2190 metres with Hellovanite, going one better than stablemate Farmersntradies. First up since September, Hellovanite was given the run of the race one/one from outside the front row, with the pacemaker Flyin Ferrari from Peter Manning's Great Western base. In what was the "drive of the day" Sullivan switched Hellovanite down to trail Flyin Ferrari into the final bend and used the sprint lane to perfection in accounting for a death-seating Kamwood Titan and Flyin Ferrai in a rate of 2-01.7.

Ararat part-owner/trainer Terry Preston would have been beside himself after his honest 4-Y-0 Jennas Beach Boy/Overton Miss gelding Igetaround landed the 4th Heat of the Warehouse Sales Central Victorian Pacing Championship for C2 or better class over 2190 metres in a rate of 2-03.7. Taking a concession for Glen Craven, Igetaround enjoyed a cosy passage three back along the markers after stepping safely from the inside of the second row.
Easing into the one/one spot on the back of the heavily supported backmarker Whiskey And Ice approaching the home turn, Igetaround when taken three wide on straightening, ran home strongly to gain the day over the undefeated Washies Chance which trailed the leader Kamwood Jack before using the sprint lane to no avail, with Kamwood Jack weakening third.

Sedgwick trainer Ross Graham's very smart Wind Cries Maori/Tachometer filly Djasker scored her first victory as a three year old after two juvenile successes, when victorious in the Northern Grampians 3-Y-0 Trotters Mobile over 2190 metres at the St Arnaud fixture.
Driven by Daryl Douglas as Ross was committed to first starter Cool Chance, Djasker was best to begin from the pole and bowled along at her leisure throughout the event. Holding a commanding lead at the top of the straight, Djasker coasted to the wire in advance of the hot favourite Waikare Aristocrat (last at the bell) and Living Bonus (three wide last lap) in a rate of 2-07.7.

Veteran Huntly trainer Bill White combined with son Ian to land the 4th Heat of the Central Victorian Trotting Championship for T0 or better class over 2690 metres with talented 6-Y-0 Keystone Salute/Maori Joy rig Billy The Brat in a rate of 2-04.2. Bred and raced by Ian and wife Sue, Billy The Brat first up since July starting from a daunting 40 metre backmark, settled at the tail of the field, with the well backed The Rolls Roy undefeated in two previous outings circling the field from the 20 metre mark to assume control after starting a warm favourite. Aided by several gallopers in the final circuit includingThe Rolls Roy and Im Chilled, Billy The Brat unleashed a brilliant burst of speed from mid-field on straightening, to record a runaway victory in advance of Mister Castleton which led before taking a trail on The Rolls Roy, with Going Command first up for Peter Manning third. - Len Baker

18 January 2011 - A crackerjack field will line up in Saturday night's Neatline Homes Shepparton Gold Cup with Chariots of Fire champion Villagem and 2010 Victoria Cup runner-up The Sleepy Tripp set to go head to head again in the $50,000 Group 2 event. The race looks set to be one of the best in it's 53-year history.  Drawn side by side for the second time in a month, following their outstanding runs when second and fifth respectively in the Group 1 SEW-Eurodrive Victoria Cup on December 18, Christchurch trained The Sleepy Tripp (Mark Purdon - 12) and Monegeetta's Villagem (Lisa Miles - 11) are two of five horses set to start off the 10 metre tapes. Defending champion, the Keith Gotchin trained Elmore pacer Tanabi Bromac  (10) and Australia’s two best mares, Bendigo's Glenn Douglas trained Make Mine Cullen (Daryl Douglas - 9) and Craig Demmler's Parwan trained Christian Melody (Jodi Quinlan - 12) will also be at the back. Despite the obvious class of that quintet, they are by no means the only hopes in Shepparton’s 2690-metre stand start feature.  Last week’s PETstock Bendigo Pacing Cup placegetters Karlsruhe (3) and Standelle (2) are also well in the mix after drawing the front line along with Geoff Webster’s duo from Bannockburn; Mister Swinger (1) and Tear It All Away (6). In the last decade alone, the Shepparton Cup has crowned many modern day greats, including Tailamade Lombo, Sokyola, Divisive and Mr Feelgood, confirming its reputation as one of the most revered and sought after races on the Choice Hotels Country Cup circuit. And with exemption to the $425,000 Group 1 BIG6 Hunter Cup on February 5 afforded to this year’s champion, fans can be sure that the 2011 renewal of the flagship feature will be one of the most keenly contested of all time. Shepparton’s marquee meeting doesn’t start and finish with the Cup either, with many of Australia’s best trotters and two-year olds also set to flaunt their wares at Quest Racing Complex on Cup night. In the $30,000 Group 2 E B Cochran Trotters Cup all eyes will be on whether rejuvenated star Ronerail can continue his record breaking performances for Peter and Kerryn Manning ahead of the Australasian Trotting Championship, while finals of The Lombo will give fans a glimpse of some of the states future racing stars. 

17 January 2011 - Some of Victoria's most promising two, three and four year olds stepped out at the Ballarat harness racing meeting held at Bray Raceway today, showing what they are made of, with all touted as having a huge future.
Blissful Hall/Clasic Amy filly Classic Bliss made it two from two, with a strong victory in the Kevin Foley Memorial 2-Y-0 Pace over 1710 metres.Trained at Rockbank by Bill Galea and driven by Damian Wilson, Classic Bliss began with a wing on every foot from outside the front row to lead, kicking away approaching the home turn well in advance of the hot favourite Fulsome which had shadowed her for the final circuit. Starting to shorten stride as the winning post came into view, Classic Bliss was challenged by Fulsome who rallied after dropping to the back of the leader on straightening, appearing to have her measure, with Classic Bliss responding gamely to stall off the challenge and score by a head in a rate of 2-01.2, with Life Sentence a further 11.6 metres away in third place.Three year old geldings Manwarra Makamile and Suave Stuey Lombo were both ultra impressive in their races – Manwarra Makeamile the Keith Bray Memorial 3-Y-0 Pace (1st Heat) over 2200 metres and Suave Stuey Lombo the Frank Britt Memorial Pace for C0 class over the same journey. Manwarra Makeamile (Bookmaker/Manwarra Goldngem) trained at Smythes Creek (Ballarat) by Emma Stewart and Clayton Tonkin also made it two from two after racing in the open from the extreme draw, before coasting to the wire 7.4 metres in advance of the pacemaker Major Mac in a 2-01.8 rate, with Dee Devito (three back the markers) 7 metres away in third place. Suave Stuey Lombo (Bettors Delight/Magic Maddy Lombo) trained by Jayne Davies and Noel Alexander at Clyde south of the Yarra and raced by Mick Lombardo, had to do his share of work from gate five to park outside the leader Edward Strike, before surging to the front on straightening in accounting for Jadahson which trailed and Edward Strike in a rate of 2-05.5. Four year old Modern Art/Mary Mazzini gelding Ole Master Lombo has been going great guns for Sunbury trainer/driver Ahmed Taiba and coasted to a 6.7 metre victory in the Bob Freeman Memorial Pace for C1 class over 1710 metres, leading throughout from gate two in a 2-00.6 rate to score from Tres Hombre (four back the markers) and One Fellas Fancy which raced in the open from the bell. It was Ole Master Lombo’s 6th success in 10 outings. Another 4-Y-0 winner on the program was S J’s Photo/Be Positive gelding Posimistic for Melton’s Maree Caldow in the Clive James Memorial Vicbred Trotters Handicap for T0 & T1 class over 2200 metres. Having his first outing since August when unplaced in the Breeders Crown Final at Tabcorp Park Melton, Posimistic (John Caldow) led throughout from barrier two in defeating the honest Ships Choice which shadowed him in a 2-09.4 rate, with Paper Trail third after racing three wide from the bell. South East South Australian trainer Joey Buttigieg combined with Daryl Douglas to land the Eric White Memorial Pace (2nd Heat) for C1 class over 1710 metres with Kiwi bred 4-Y-0 Christian Cullen/Les Payzen Star entire CC Star. Despite racing wide, CC Star led for the final circuit in scoring easily over Our Universal Ruler which raced in the open from the bell and The Red Opal which trailed the winner after handing over the front running. The mile rate 1-57.8. - Len Baker

17 January 2011 -Harness Racing Victoria advises that the Alabar Echuca Pacing Cup has been rescheduled for Wednesday 9 February  after the abandonment of last night’s meeting.
HRV and Echuca Harness Racing Club made the difficult decision to cancel the meeting after an evacuation warning was issued for the area by the State Emergency Service late on Sunday afternoon. HRV CEO Mr John Anderson said, “Previous advice from emergency services, including the SES, as late as Sunday morning indicated that the flood peak would arrive in the early afternoon and cause ‘negligible inundation’. “Despite access to and from the venue being available and the presentation of a track fit for racing, HRV and Echuca HRC took the decision not to proceed once the revised information was made available to us after 3:00pm.
“Whilst losing a meeting such as the Alabar Echuca Pacing Cup is unfortunate and some participants may have been inconvenienced by this decision, HRV asks that everyone spare a thought for all of our racing industry friends and colleagues who have lost property, horses and loved ones during the events of the last week.” The rescheduled Cup on 9 February will be run under the same format and conditions. The race did previously carry a ballot exemption into the Neatline Homes Shepparton Gold Cup. Given the re-allocation of this date subsequent to that event, this will no longer apply. Any trainer with a horse or horses engaged at the cancelled meeting will receive a $100 payment to offset any costs associated attending the meeting prior to its cancellation. All drivers engaged at the cancelled meeting will also receive payment of their driving fees. Due to the flooding of the Charlton township, the St Arnaud @ Charlton meeting scheduled for Wednesday January 19 has been transferred to Maryborough. Flood issues relevant to the Maryborough Club have now passed.

15 January 2011 - In humbling one of the finest $50,000 PETstock Bendigo Pacing Cup fields of all time on Saturday night, iconic Victorian pacer Smoken Up took another giant step toward greatness.
Just seven days after producing arguably the most extraordinary run of his career to win the South Australian Cup for the second time, Lance Justice’s teak tough son of Tinted Cloud once again displayed his brutal combination of speed and strength, continuing what is fast becoming the defining season of his career.The richly sought after 2650-metre feature was his to lose just 100 metres out of the barrier. After gliding across stablemate Hollywood Bromac from gate two to find his favourite position in front, the champion eight-year-old and $1.30 favourite merely ambled through the first lap, recording a very comfortable lead time of 76.4. Almost waiting for his nemesis Melpark Major to work up outside the speed as an indication the race was actually on, the reigning Miracle Mile titleholder only began changing gears once he saw his old foe striding alongside him with a mile to run. But as Justice began to up the ante through a 59.8-second first half, the effort of circumnavigating the field after a difficult start was already beginning to show on Amy Tubbs’ former Victorian Horse of the Year, and there were no other challengers in sight. Clicked into overdrive spearing off the back straight the final time, Smoken Up took full advantage of the lightning quick Lords Raceway circuit – which had already seen Tony Peacock-trained former Kiwi Ransom Olds break it’s mile benchmark in 1:54.9 earlier in the night – to drop his rivals cold. Recording a breathtaking third quarter of 27.8, the pride of Melton only increased the tempo on entering the lane and despite the courageous effort of Karlsruhe, searing home off three wide cover to try and make the race a contest late, the 2011 Bendigo Cup was already over.Finishing in a 27-second final fraction to miss Safari’s three year old track record by just three-tenths of a second in 1:56 even, Justice’s cult pacer triumphed by 6.7 metres from Karlsruhe, with the luckless Standelle only seeing daylight late to run third a further 3.9 metres astern. Earlier in the night, rejuvenated squaregaiter Ronerail continued his resurgence under Great Western mentor Peter Manning to obliterate Bendigo’s 1609-metre track record by more than two seconds in the $20,000 Group 3 Aldebaran Park Maori Mile. Driven with supreme confidence by Peter’s other record breaker – daughter Kerryn – the talented eight-year-old trotter only escaped a pocket in running on entering the lane, but sprinted brilliantly late to win in 1:56.6 over Go Ahead Makemyday and Kyvalley Mac. Ronerail’s renaissance in the twilight of his career certainly adds another dimension to the upcoming SKY Racing Nights Of Glory, with the Group 1 Australasian Trotting Championship scheduled to run on the final night of the carnival; February 5.To be run at Tabcorp Park, Melton for the first time ever, the highlight of that program will be the $425,000 BIG6 Hunter Cup, where Smoken Up will aim to continue his streak of excellence and perhaps solidify his reputation as one of Australia’s greatest stayers.

16 January 2011- Ransom Olds could not have been more impressive at his Australian race debut, he blasted a record 1:54.9 mile at Bendigo's Lords Raceway to score an ultra impressive victory. The beautifully bred three-year-old old now trained by Kilmore's Tony Peaccok signalled that he could be a force in Australia this season. It was only a C1 field but the Artsplace colt did it easy. Damien Wilson was at the controls and dictated the pace scorching a 27.6 first quarter of the mile. He had Ransom Olds, the $1.50 favourite on a loose rein coming to the final bend but the others were flat out behind him. In the straight Ransom Olds drew away and scored by 8.3 metres from Major Player (Greg Sugars) with Artillery Fire (Scott Dyer) beaten 11 metres in third place. Wilson said Ransom OIlds had improved a lot under Peacock care. "Since he has been here he has just kept on improving," the driver said. "We knew he was going well but this is the first time I have driven him away from the training track, he just keeps on getting better." Ransom Olds, a daughter of former smart NZ mare Adios Dream, won two races from 14 starts and $22,000 in New Zealand and added almost $5,000 to that tally at Bendigo. - David Aldred

10 January 2011 - Miracle Mile champion Smoken Up, Australia’s fastest pacer heads the nominations for the $50,000 Group 2 PETstock Bendigo Pacing Cup on Saturday. Last Saturday night the Lance Justice trained Grand Circuit champion cemented his place as one of South Australia's greatest Pacing Cup winners of all time, with his second victory in the Group 1 event at Globe Derby. Smoken Up added the 2011 edition to his 2008 victory on Justice's old home track. An equine millionaire and winner of the 2010 Miracle Mile in an Australasian record 1:50.3, Smoken Up is a harness racing legend. His Globe Derby performance was stunning. He started as a pronounced favourite despite a second-row draw and proved far too strong for Victorian Standelle and adopted local Ohoka Nevada in the 2645 metre event. Smoken Up has now claimed three Barastoc Grand Circuit features with two of those victories coming this season. Justice, a SA export to Victoria, was over the moon with the SA Cup win by the horse he calls ‘Trigger’. “This is just as good as winning the Miracle Mile, I love coming back home to Adelaide and Trigger was just unbelievable,” he said. As a result of the SA success, Smoken Up has now shot to the top of the Barastoc Grand Circuit leader board with 13 points. Smoken Up is now 3 points clear of Mr Feelgood and Monkey King who both have 10 points. Bendigo Harness Racing Club General Manager, David Aldred said the Cup nominations have come up to expectation. “The nominations are as good as anyone could expect for a major Country Cup, we have a list of Grand Circuit horses and the likes of Smoken Up, Melpark Major, Make Mine Cullen etc make the heart sing,” Aldred said. “We are looking for a quality final field to be announced tomorrow.” The Bendigo Harness Racing Club received 17 nominations for the Cup with Champion Strathfieldsaye trained mare Make Mine Cullen, the winner of the 4yo mares Breeders Crown Final last August and the Kilmore Cup earlier this season,  New South Wales trained hotshot Holy Camp Boy, the brilliant Victorian Melpark Major, Standelle, Mister Swinger, Glenferrie Alexis, Cincinatti Kid and Decorated Jasper adding plenty of class to the line up. The other feature race on Saturday night, the Group 3 Aldebaran Park Maori Mile has also attracted a sensational list of trotters. Chris Lang’s 2010 4yo Breeders Crown Trotting Champion Let Me Thru, Saturday night’s SA Trotting Cup winner and runner-up Ronerail and Danny Cash, 2008 Inter Dominion Trotting Championship runner up Will Trapper, La Mosca, Armed Guard and defending inaugural champion Acacia Ridge are among the Maori Mile nominations. Champion three-year-olds Royal Verdict and Devilish Smile, both Victoria Derby aspirants have also nominated for the 3yo Pacers event

6 January 2011 - Bendigo Harness Racing Club will create history this month, hosting the Finals of the time honoured $30,000 Warehouse Sales Central Victorian Pacing Championship and the $25,000 Trotting Championship for the first time at Lords Raceway. The second heats of the Championships, conducted by the Boort Harness Racing Club, will be raced at the Bendigo track on Monday afternoon with the starters attempting to qualify for the all important finals, under lights at Bendigo on 27 January. Recent Bendigo winner It And A Bit trained by Paul Campbell at Maiden Gully and driven by Strathfieldsaye ace reinsman Daryl Douglas will shoot for back to back victories in Monday’s Boort Pacing Championship heat over 2150 metres. The five-year-old son of Astreos will start from the outside of the front row after his bad manners at Bendigo on 29 December placed him out of the draw. In that race he travelled in the running line and was caught three wide at various stages before striding clear to win by almost seven metres, pacing a sub-2:00 mile. The Scott Stewart trained and reins Bitobliss in the form horse in the Pacing Championship heat with six wins from his last seven starts. This season he has gone unbeaten at two starts and has posted his last three wins in succession at Melton. Boitobliss last won over 1720 metres on 18 December. A son of Blissfull Hall, Bitobliss is a rising star in the restricted ranks with a total of seven lifetime wins from just 10 career starts. Stewart will steer Bitobliss from a 10 metre handicap in this race. Bitobliss is yet to race from a standing start with all of his victories in mobile start events. Left In Paris (Nathan Jack) is also building a picket fence of victories with three wins from her last three starts. The Life Sign four-year-old mare has won each month for the past three months, her most recent win at Echuca on New Year’s Day. Left In Paris is also a maiden from a standing start. The 30 metre backmakers in the 2650 metre heat of the Trotting Championship, Eisenhower (Peter Lane), Aldebaran Maori (Chris Lang) and Wont Be The Same (Nathan Jack) hold the key to the race. Aldebaran Maori has been in winning form winning two of his last four starts. Wont Be The Same resumed from a lengthy spell with a third placing behind Im Victor Trumper at Cobram on December 29. Kilmore-trained Einsenhower last won in October beating Jacob Oram and he has recent Cranbourne and Yarra Valley placings to his credit.  - David Aldred                                                                                                   

6 January 2011 - Tatura trainer Patsy Abrahams was in the winners stall at a very mediocre Graduation fixture held at Lord’s Raceway Bendigo on Tuesday 4 January, when smart 4-Y-0 Continentalman/Why Worry gelding Im Chilled scored in the Aldebaran Park Trotters Handicap for TR0 & TR1 class over 2150 metres. First up since August, Im Chilled was away safely but slowly for Daryl Douglas from barrier two, settling four back in the moving line. Commencing a forward move three wide uncovered in the last lap, Im Chilled’s quality prevailed over the concluding stages, defeating the roughie Smile No More which followed him home in a rate of 2-05.8, with Clinton McSwain’s honest mare Cherry Sweet using the sprint lane from three back the markers for third. Both leaders Charlie Tee and Apollorita carved up on straightening.

Lockwood South duo Tony and Mary Dillon captured the Stallion Station 3-Y-0 Pace over 1650 metres with  D M Dilinger/Calling All Angels gelding Johny Rondo in a rate of 1-58. With Chris Alford in the sulky, Johny Rondo from the pole settled three back the markers, moving to the back of the leader Endorsement with a circuit to travel when Tony Peacock moved away from the inside to pressure the front runner. Using the sprint lane, Johny Rondo hard driven nosed out Endorsement right on the wire, with Tallyho Bromac (four wide last lap) third. Shelbourne (Marong) trainer Larry Eastman and wife Lynette snared the quinella in the Petstock Pace for C1 & C2 class over 2150 metres with Kamwood Titan and Western Lover, but obviously not the way the stable wanted, as Kamwood Titan was a $11.30 chance, with Western Lover a heavily supported $2.20 favourite. Taking a concession for Charlton’s Ellen Tormey, Kamwood Titan spent most of the race one/one from gate four after Western Lover from the pole was crossed by the roughie Spaceman Bert, before moving to race in the open. Surging to the front on the home turn, Western Lover was grabbed by Kamwood Titan right on the wire who registered a nose decision in a finish which tricked many, with Wendy Anne using the sprint lane from four back the markers for third. The mile rate 1-59.6.
Chris Lang Jr. Kialla’s Darren Rowney combined with Chris Lang (Jnr) to land the SEW-Eurodrive 3-Y-0 Trotters Mobile over 2180 metres at Kilmore on Wednesday with Conch Deville/Flirty filly Teasing, leading throughout from gate four in defeating What About Perky which raced outside her and Adhesive in a rate of 2-07.

Glenn & Daryl Douglas added yet another winner to their large season tally, when Kiwi import Brigadier Scott (Live Or Die/Victoria Globe) outstayed the pacemaker Tayarna Mia to record a narrow victory in the Kilmore Trackside Function Centre Pace for C3 & C4 class over 1690 metres in 2-00.7. Jaz Equity (one/one) finished third.

Maiden Gully trainer David Van Ryn was also a winner at Kilmore, when former smart juvenile Amelia Darling greeted the judge in the Northern Fascia Trotters Handicap for T0 or better class (mares) over 2150 metres in 2-08. Driven by Kilmore based Damian Wilson, Amelia Darling a 4-Y-0 daughter of Kadabra and the open class performer Africa, led throughout from barrier six in accounting for Frosty Vale which trailed using the sprint lane to no avail, with Madiskita (one/two) running home nicely for third.

1 January 2011 - With the Inter Dominion scratched off Melpark Major's to do list in the New Year, Bacchus Marsh trainer Alan Tubbs  will concentrate on winning as many big 'local" majors as he can. First big assignment for 2011 is the $50,000 Group 2 PETstock Bendigo Pacing Cup. Tubbs indicated at the Victoria Cup that Melpark Major's travelling days were over and he confirmed this week that the New Year plans are to remain close to home. "We will make the right decisions now and stay around home," Tubbs said. "We won't travel and the Inter Dominion in Christchurch and the SA Pacing Cup in Adelaide are off his list." 
Instead Melpark Major will add plenty of class to the Victorian races at home base, Tabcorp Park Melton and the Country Cups. Melpark Major finished second to Mister Swinger (Geoff Webster) on New Years Eve in the last race for 2010 at Melton. He will contest another Free For All at Tabcorp Park this week before lining up in the PETstock Group 2 Bendigo Pacing Cup on 15 January at Lord's Raceway. - David Aldred

30 December 2010 - Lockwood trainer Ron Wicks produced longshot race debutante Our Puddy for a first up win at Lord's Raceway Bendigo on Wednesday night. The previously unraced Partywiththebigdog filly upstaged a field of potential stars in the Bendigo Bank 3yo Pace (2150m) and she posted a first start mile rate of 1:57.4. Even her trainer/ driver was surprised how well she performed in beating the boys. "I thought she would run a nice race but I was expecting a mid-field finish in the race," Wicks said. Our Puddy had trialled well at Bendigo prior to the win. Bred and raced by Neil Merola, Our Puddy overcame a back row draw to race one out and three back in the running line before storming home in the final quarter to reel in the leaders Brick Top and Turnpike Cruiser in the race to the post. The $64.20 rank outsider scored by 1.6 metres from Turnpike Cruiser ($3.40) who was given the run of the race by Kerryn Manning with the $2.00 race favourite Brick Top (Rod Petroff) leading until the final stages of the race to fill third place, 3.4 metres from the winner. It was a giant killing performance by Our Puddy with the placegetters in the race, the Grant Campbell trained Turnpike Cruiser a Tatlow Stakes heat winner and finalist and Susan Hunter's Brick Top, a Australiasian Breeders Crown heat winner and finalist. To emphasise the victory further, Melpark Major's promising half-brother Melapark Maestro finished fourth. Another first race starter, the David Aiken trained Washies Chance was also an impressive winner at the Bendigo meeting. The Washington VC 4yo was driven by Scott Dyer to an all the way victory in the C0 Pace (2150m). The $2.00 favourite held on for a 1.5 metre win over The Pirate Parrot (Damien Wilson), rating a 2:02 mile. The track was fast at Bendigo with two other winners getting within a whisker of new track record times. Steve Cleave's Indigo Bay paced  a 1:55.3 mile in the Happy New Year from BHRC Pace (1650m) to miss the record by 2/10ths and in the Standing Start C1 Pace (2150m) Paul Campbell's  It And A Bit (Daryl Douglas) paced a 1:59.2 mile to miss the track record by 2/10ths.- David Aldred

26 December 2010 - Holy Camp Boy is set to contest the Group 2 PETstock Bendigo Pacing Cup next month after a stunning last to first victory in Sunday night's Shirley Turnbull Memorial at Bathurst. Trainer Mitchell Reese has the Stature gelding flying at the moment with four consecutive wins including a brilliant Free For All victory at the Harold Park  Farewell meeting prior to his Bathurst triumph. On Sunday night on a very wet track Holy Camp Boy  produced a lightning last quarter sprint. Last out of the gates and trailing the field to the bell, Jarrod Alchin surged forward on the back of Lady Lexus with a three wide dash and kept rounding up his opponents until the final quarter. $2.50 race favourite Karloo Mick (Greg Bennett) faced the breeze early before finding the lead on the last lap, but he surrendered the lead when Holy Camp Boy ($3.10) breezed by him rounding the final bend. Lady Lexus ($7.20 - Gavin Fitzpatrick) did all the bullocking after finding herself back second last early after pacing tardily. The mare battled on gallantly for second place almost 12 metres behind Holy Camp Boy, Karloo Mick hung on for third a metre away. Holy Camp Boy clocked a 2:01.9 mile rate of the 2520 metres. Holy Camp Boy appears to have found a new lease on life with the Shirley Turnbull Memorial his fourth win from six starts this campaign. Reese is now going to get 7yo Holy Camp Boy ready for the Group 2 Bendigo Cup on 15 January . "I have to definitely consider a trip down to Bendigo in his current form," the trainer said.  Alchin was thrilled with his success and the performance of Holy Camp Boy.  “It’s an honour to win it. It was a terrific field  with Rohan Home who was in the Miracle Mile and Lady Lexus, so it was a great race and to win it was an honour,” he said. - David Aldred