Win at home
Concongella owner-trainer Ken Taylor celebrated a home-track victory at Laidlaw Park on Australia Day when his nine-year-old gelding Kempseys Delight led from go to whoa in a feature $7000 pace.
The evergreen pacer, having his 156th start, was driven hard out of the gate to claim the role of frontrunner but when in command driver Denbeigh Wade backed off the tempo through the middle stages of the 1785-metre trip.
The son of Bettors Delight USA found plenty over the final 400 metres and scored by two metres in a rate of 1:58.5 for a well-deserved eighth career victory.
Balmoral horsewoman Janet Exell also enjoyed Australia Day success at Stawell when her six-year-old son of Elsu NZ, Areyouohkay, saluted in a pace event.
Driver David Murphy was content to let $1.65 favourite Rocknroll Opal – Michael Bellman – take the lead from the start and from then on Areyouohkay enjoyed a sweet trip, hard on the back of the pacemaker.
With 250 metres remaining, Murphy eased the gelding off the pegs to eyeball the leader at the top of the home stretch. The nuggetty black gelding proved too strong and scored by five metres in a rate of 1:59.9.
Extreme stormy weather forced the last race at Stawell to be abandoned and the theme continued at Mildura that night when the last four events were unable to be staged.
Apsley owner Gary Mcginty shared a winning double at Globe Derby on Saturday night with trainer and part-owner Heather Stevens when their former Kiwi pacers Maharaja and Bettor Beontoit.
Concession driver Tiana Mcmahon piloted five-yearold gelding Maharaja to an all the way victory in an $8000, 1800m sprint contest and Wayne Hill repeated the dose later in the night with seven-year-old gelding Bettor Beontoit.
Show Me The Moolah gave owner trainer Janet Exell her second winner in just five days when successful at Wedderburn on Sunday afternoon.
Stand-in driver John Justice found the coveted one-one spot for the gelded son of Allawart Ray for the first two laps then timed his run down the outside to perfection – snatching victory from the $2.20 favourite Glengarriff – Jackie Barker in the shadows of the post.
Exell’s home-bred squaregaiter took time to learn the caper but has become a generally consistent performer with seven wins and 13 minors on the board.
Horsham part-owner Tim Nihill enjoyed a win at nice odds early last week when six-year-old gelding Messerati captured a $9000 pace at Geelong for the Maree and John Caldow stable. The son of Art Major inished strongly up the home stretch to score narrowly from Ruby Wingate – Michael Bellman in a rate of 1:54.3.
Messerati is raced by the Caldow family in partnership with several ‘Ouyenites’ and has proved a wonderful bread and butter horse, with 11 wins, 22 minors and a bank of $96,500.