Smiles All Around
Outstanding 2 year old Devilish Smile put his season back on track with an emphatic win in a heat of the rich Vicbred Super Series at Cranbourne on Saturday the 26th June.
The beautifully bred Grinfromeartoear colt has built an impressive record in his short career to date including victory in the Group 2 Tatlow Stakes at Melton in May.
However the Peter Tonkin trained youngster disappointed when a tiring favourite at Echuca a week earlier and needed to win at Cranbourne to progress through to the semi finals of the Super Series. Sent to the lead in the middle stages of Saturday night's race, Devilish Smile ran his rivals ragged in the wet conditions and won by a comfortable 5 metres from local Astronaut with Endorsement filling the minor placing.
Devilish Smile is raced by Cranbourne committee member Pam Hockham who, along with husband Russell, will be hoping that the horse can deliver the couple's first Group 1 win before the season is over.
Girls Night Out
On Saturday 15th May staff and volunteers from the Hallam Community Learning Centre enjoyed a special night at the Club's feature 'Girls Night Out' race meeting.
The group are regular visitors to the Christmas In July meeting but had a change of heart this year, instead opting to enjoy the offtrack entertainment offered which included a fashion parade, dance & fitness demonstration, hair styling, tarot readings, massage treatments and more.
A feature of the evening was the Westfield 'Fabulous Fascinator & Hat Competition' which offered individual prizes of shopping vouchers to the first 3 placegetters. Additionally a $500 cash prize was on offer to any community, sporting or social group represented by the winner.
To the delight of the group from Hallam, Pat Hrynyszyn and Rhonda Devlin were placed 1st & 3rd for their fancy headwear meaning the Hallam Coomunity Learning Centre coffers have been boosted by $500. It is understood the group plans to use the funds to purchase a new cubby house for the children's groups who attend the centre.
Norman On Par At Cranbourne
Avenel based trainer Greg Norman took training honours at the Cranbourne meeting on Thursday 6 May with a winning double.
Norman opened his account with Heza Hero in the Seelite Windows & Doors Trotters Handicap. Starting from a 30 metre handicap, the son of Sundon made a safe beginning and took up a position in the leading quartet with just over a lap to run. Heza Hero looked the winner when he raced to the lead soon after straightening for home but had to find plenty under pressure to hold off a spirited finish from Alta Soliel.
Promising three year old Our Rising Star brought up the stable double with his win in the Schweppes 3YO Pace. Starting a short priced favourite on the strength of his last start victory at Cranbourne on 25 April, Our Rising Star raced on the pace throughout Thursday's race before cruising to a comfortable win over I Look A Lot and Ultimate Escape.
Norman settled in Victoria some years ago after relocating from his native South Australia and is a regular visitor to Cranbourne with his small but select team.
Artorius Wins Rich Eastern Challenge
Artorius made a clean sweep of the rich Eastern Challenge series with his win in the final of the $20,000 event run at Warragul on Friday 30 April.
A recent addition to the Maree Caldow stable, Artorius was an impressive winner of his heat of the series at Cranbourne on 15 April with a sub 2 minute performance to defeat Franco Newsman and The Evangelist.
The 4year old gelding by Our Sir Vancelot ran right up to that good form at Warragul with a come from behind victory on the tricky circuit to take his record this season to 7 wins and 4 placings from just 15 starts.
Star on The Rise
Promising three year old pacer Travtiano looks set to provide Pearcedale couple Derek and Sandra Harrington with some exciting times ahead on the strength of his impressive victory at Cranbourne on the 11th March.
A lightly raced son of imported USA stallion Western Terror, Travtiano took his record to 4 wins and 3 placings from just 9 lifetime starts with a last to first victory over Loveable Larrikin and Rufus Castle. Given plenty of time to settle in the early part of the race by Jodi Quinlan, Travtiano quickly joined in at the 400 metre mark and put the issue beyond doubt to score running away by more than a length.
The Harrington family raced Travtiano's mother Zain with some success but Derek, who played football with and later coached the Dandenong Redlegs in the VFA during the 70's, has no doubts that the youngster potentially has the ability to develop into a city class performer. "The horse showed a tremendous turn of foot at the end of his race today when the leaders were really motoring. He's building an impressive record and we're just hoping he can go on with the job".
Travtiano's Drouin based trainer Debbie Quinlan expects to have a hand in the upcoming City Of Casey Tricodes meeting on Sunday 28th March with at least two or three runners from her stable venturing to the track.
Herbertson Has Bags Packed
Ash Herberton's affinity with Cranbourne continued recently with the win of Strangeasitsounds in the Victorian Harness Racing Trainers & Drivers Association Pace on 10th February.
At regular intervals during the year the VHRTD&A, along with a host club, conduct feature races which provide a bonus of $200 to the winning trainer and driver on the proviso that they are paid up members of the Association.
No doubt Herbertson, who won last season's Cranbourne Trainers Bonanza, and his partner Jody Clover will put the bonus to good use as they put the finishing touches to their travel itinerary. The couple are planning to travel to Sweden in May to take in the Elitlopp and will then head to Austria and Switzerland for some sightseing before returning home via Milan, Italy.
Cranbourne CEO David Scott says the club is pleased to be able to offer such a tangible reward for trainers' participation at the venue. "It's just fantastic to talk to Ash and Jody and to understand how excited they are about their upcoming trip".
The Cranbourne Trainers Bonanza is being conducted again in 2010-11 and trainers to have already secured a chance in the end of season draw include Lee Evison, Tony Xiriha, Geoff Webster, David Aiken, Wayne Potter, Vince Vallelonga, Mal Whiteford and Brian Ruschmeyer.
Ultimate Under Fire Takes Out Eastern Zone Final
Improving 4YO Ultimate Under Fire recorded one of his most significant wins to date with his victory in the Eastern Zone Series Final for C2 & 3 pacers at Cranbourne on Saturday 2nd January.
The David Aiken trained gelding had a promising start to his racetrack career recording 3 wins in his freshman 2YO season and a further 3 wins as a 3YO.
Having just his third start as a 4YO at Cranbourne, the son of Courage Under Fire was forced to do some work three wide in the early and middle stages of the race before finding the lead at the bell. Driver Scott Dyer then upped the tempo from the head of affairs and Ultimate Under Fire posted a 58.3 second last half mile to defy all challengers in the run home.
Ultimate Under Fire is trained at Avenel by Aiken for one of his principal supporters in Brendan James who has been enjoying a run of success in recent months. The two combined to win the Yarra Valley Pacing Cup in early December with Jaccka Clive.
