Mach Dan’s cup
An old truism in racing ‘that the stopwatch matters little, it’s the victory that counts’ was never more evident than on Sunday afternoon in the running of both The Weekly Advertiser Horsham Pacing Cup and Speeding Spur Horsham Trotters Cup.
Over the staying distance of 2700 metres the outcomes were obvious a long way from home, with drivers at the head of affairs dictating the tempo throughout.
Exciting four-year-old gelding Mach Dan, with Greg Sugars aboard, quickly found the lead as the starter said ‘go’ in the $60,000 pacing cup.
Without any pressure coming from the opposition, Mach Dan was able to amble along at his leisure, in some of the slowest sectionals ever recorded by cup-class horses on the Horsham circuit.
With 800 metres remaining, Sugars gave his charge an inch of rein, but not until heading for home did he ask Mach Dan for anything approaching his best.
The $1.50 favourite responded with a blistering final quarter of 26.3 seconds and cruised home 2.5 metres in advance of Somewhere Secret – Jackie Barker – which raced outside the leader for most of the trip.
Fourbigmen – James Herbertson – was five metres away in third spot after finding the Hygain sprint-lane.
Highly fancied stallion Out To Play – Kate Gath – was fourth and stablemate Like A Wildfire – Leigh Sutton – fifth in an amazing training quintet for the Emma Stewart-clayton Tonkin barn.
Lightly raced since scoring on debut at Swan Hill in February 2019, Mach Dan has built a record to date of 22 starts for 12 wins, six minors and a bank of $264,172. Fingers and toes are firmly crossed that the impressive son of Mach Three CA stays sound and gives the Stewarttonkin camp, owners Danny Zavitsanos, his wife Jo and Warren Vine plenty of joy through seasons to come.
Trotting cup
Classy trotting mare Monaro Maro took a little longer than Mach Dan to find the lead in the $25,000 Speeding Spur Horsham Trotters Cup but two laps out had the race in her keeping.
Backing up less than 24 hours after finishing second to Moonlight Linda in a $24,000 Melton FFA, Monaro Maro with former ‘Mallee boy’ in the sulky was a tad slow to begin from her 20 metres handicap, but quickly found her rhythm and steadily made ground on the Stawell-trained and owned bay, The Penny Drops – Daryl Douglas.
With a little over two laps to travel, John Caldow took his charge to the front and rated to perfection from that point, Monaro Maro was untroubled to record a three-metre victory over The Penny Drops, which tried valiantly to reel her in over the final stages.
The even-money-favourite Well Defined – Ellen Tormey – after looking a threat on the home turn, battled on to finish third, a further 11 metres away.
While the winner’s mile-rate of 2:06.7 might rank towards the bottom of the 25 trotters cups staged at Horsham, the amount on the owner’s cheque sits equal-first on top of the list that really counts.
Trainer Andy Gath has made a super-successful habit of bringing tried trotters across the ditch to race here for prolific owner Norm Jenkin.
Monaro Mara is another product of that recipe, with 11 victories, 11 minors and earnings of around $115,000 since relocating to Long Forest.