When You're On A Good Thing....
New Zealand import Waiona took his record to 3 wins from just 5 starts when successful in the Entire Mechanical Services Pace Final at Cranbourne on 3rd May and looks to have a promising future for trainer Dean Braun. Well handled by leading concession reinsman Greg Sugars, the 3yo son of Island Fantasy took full advantage of a cosy run behind the leader before sprinting to victory over Town Cruzer and Shoot The Dice.
Waiona's 3 victories have all been recorded on the Cranbourne track and the gelding seems to have developed a real affinity for the circuit.
So too it would seem, has La Bisccuit! This superbly bred 4yo daughter of CR Commando and La Coocaracha took some 16 starts to notch her first victory in a race at Cranbourne on 2nd April. Since then La Biscuit has added a further 2 wins to her career record, both at Cranbourne, and her easy win on 3rd May suggests that there are plenty more wins in store for the Andy Gath trained mare.
Mares Dominate 23rd April Program
Smart mare Fususi added trainer Jayne Davies name to the list of entrants in the end of season Trainers Bonanza draw when successful in the Trainers Bonanza C2-3 Pace on Wednesday 23rd May. Starting a long odds-on favourite, Fususi rolled to the lead shortly after the start and sizzled home in a 57.6 second last half mile to score by 3m on the line from a very brave Ulos. Fususi's win took her record to 12 wins and 13 placings from 31 starts for stake earnings in excess of $175,000.
4yo mares Cullens Ace and Jazzam provided their sire Christian Cullen with a siring double on the same program.
Cullens Ace booked her passge into the semi-finals of the Vicbred Super Sires Series for 4yo mares when successful over Pacific Charm & Cyclone Betty for trainer/driver Craig Demmler.
Jazzam scored a comfortable victory for driver Jodi Quinlan and Drouin trainer Debbie Quinlan in the Spectrum Laser Cutting Pace. Raced by her breeders, the Fusinato family, Jazzam has been a handy money spinner to date having earned $42,000 from 31 lifetime starts.
Trotting mare Ballycotton broke through for an overdue win in the Seelite Windows & Doors Trot for Monageeta couple David & Lisa Miles while Tamara's Star rounded off a big day for the equine girls when successful in the second heat of the Warehouse Sales Pace. Racing returns to Cranbourne on Saturday 3rd May for the club's feature "Girls Night Out" meeting.
Charley Returns to Winners List
Locally trained pacer Charleys Dream made a welcome return to the winners list when successful in the Malcolm Wells Accounting Solutions Pace at the Cranbourne meeting on Wednesday 9th April.
Pearcedale trainer Bill Walker had the 4yo son of Dream Away near his peak after three runs back from a spell and daughter Simone was able to dictate the terms of the race from her position outside the leader to score by the barest possible margin from Xenophon.
Charleys Dream has now recorded 6 wins and 6 placing from just 16 starts and looks to have a bright future as he makes his way through the grades.
Earlier in the night Lara mentor Dean Braun was successful with a training double. The Gunstar was super impressive in defeating Veranjee in the Wise Choice Catering Pace and then 3yo gelding Waiona made it back to back Cranbourne wins having scored at the club's windswept meeting on 2nd April.
Wild, Wild Wednesday!
Wild winds of up to 120kph battered much of Melbourne and made for trying conditions at the Club's daytime harness meeting on Wednesday 2nd April. On a day when the Sandown thoroughbred meeting was abandoned and many parts of the city lost power or were effected by falling trees and other storm damage, the local harness meeting went ahead much to the delight of leading junior reinsman Greg Sugars.
Sugars, who is having a phenomenal run at the moment, drove 3 winners on the program to follow on from his 3 win haul at the track on the 5th March. Early in the day Sugars combined with the ultra consistent Veranjee to take out the Garry Rogers Supercars Pace and in doing so, gave that pacer a commanding lead in the Cranbourne Horse Of The Year Award. He later rounded off his day with wins aboard the Dean Braun trained Radio City and Pocket Legend, who is trained by his father Ross Sugars for owner Arthur Fullwood.
Promising 2YO Garnet River opened his winning account at only his second start in the Seelite Windows & Doors 2YO Pace and looks to have a bright future for local trainer and veterinarian Hugh Cathels. 
Garnet River will now be aimed at the Youthful Stakes at Moonee Valley on 11th April before taking his place in the heats of the rich APG Sales Series later in the month.
"Home Track Hero" Wins Skeggs Trotters Cup
Kooweerup trotter Pepperell Dancer produced something of an upset win in the feature $20,000 Bruce Skeggs Trotters Cup at the recent City of Casey Tricodes race meeting. .jpg)
Trained by Daryl Woolcock and owned by long term stable supporters Geoff Head & Sonia Treseder, Pepperell Dancer unleashed a powerful finishing burst to surge past top Kiwi trotter Whatsundermykilt and talented mare Jauriol to claim victory in the Group 3 event.
Woolcock, who regularly fast works his small team on the Cranbourne track, was obviously delighted to snare such an important win with Pepperell Dancer and is now looking to next year's Interdominion Championship. Given his ability to reel off a fast last quarter when the pace is on, Pepperell Dancer may not be out of his depth either particularly with further natural improvement as he gets accustomed to competing with horses of the calibre he beat on Sunday.
Local reinsman Shane McGuinness took driving honours at the meeting with a perfect record of two wins from just two drives on the day. First up, McGuinness combined with Internationally Foxy for Carrum Downs trainer Brian Duthie to win the 5th heat of the Eureka Series. Tucked in behind the leader for much of the race, McGuiness angled the mare to the outside turning for home and held on to beat the fast finishing Starcrazy by a head.
McGuiness made it back to back wins when successful on improving mare Rose Danjou in the third race on the program. Trained by local veterinarian Hugh Cathels, Rose Danjou won her third race for the season at Cranbourne from just 5 starts and obvoiusly has a liking for her home track. Well rated in front by McGuinness, Rose Danjou scored comfortably from Pans Illusion and Princess Of Dreams.
