Enough in the tank for The Reginator to take the win
Winning driver Danielle Hill said she had spoken to her brother Wayne before partnering The Reginator to victory in the Vale Greg Norman Pace (1800m) at Globe Derby Park on Saturday.
“Wayne has driven The Reginator many times and knows his quirks,” Hill said.
Wayne Hill is currently sidelined through injury, so part-owner and trainer Heather Stevens sought his sister, who has been driving in sensational form with several bags of four winners, to partner the five-year-old.
The Reginator ($4.20) flew out from gate two to lead easily and bowled along before withstanding a late challenge from Shireen ($2.25 fav) to score by a half head with Star Of Willoughby ($13), four metres away third.
“Wayne told me how to get him away quickly, but he surprised me how quick he began,” Hill said.
“Then once in front he wanted to run along and I had to hold him back.
“The runner up put on pressure down the back with a 28.8 second quarter and I thought we had beaten it off, but my horse got tired late and Shireen came again but we had done enough.”
Trainer Heather Stevens said she was proud of The Reginator.
“He has had throat issues and also a few problems with his knees because he is such a big horse,” Stevens said.
“Tonight was his eighth win but I’m not sure how much longer he will keep racing. With his problems he has done a very good job.”
The Reginator was bred and is part-owned by 85-year-old Gary McGinty who loves harness racing and has been a longtime stable client of Stevens.
The winner was the first of a treble who went on to win two heats of the feature Pot Of Gold on Peace Of Heaven and Sea Salt.
Reinsman Dean Girardi said he “owed” co-trainers Jill Neilson and Katie Wilson a winner after Captain Fearless took out the Ladbrokes Punter Assist Pace (1800m).
“I have had about 10 drives for Jill and Katie, and sadly, a couple were pretty poor,” Girardi said.
“It was great tonight to score my first win for them.”
Captain Fearless ($7.50) swept to the lead coming off the back and established a winning break winning by 3-1/2 metres from the fast-finishing Centrefold Star ($1.75 fav) with Paradigm ($8.50), three metres away third.
The race complexion changed when Corey Johnson on Paradigm went for home at the 600-metre mark putting away the leader Ohso Kinky ($2.75) and as a result, the odds-on favourite Centrefold Star, trailing the leader, got carted back.
Girardi was aware of the troubles of Michael Smith on Centrefold Star and used Captain Fearless’ excellent sprint to go to the front and grabbing a 20-metre lead.
The favourite eventually got into clear ground and sprinted hard, but Girardi’s tactics stole the race.
There was a similar story in race seven, the Ladbrokes Odds Surge Pace (2230m).
Clarenden Sakura ($14), bred, owned and trained at Wasleys by Claire Goble, was expertly driven by Samantha Hill to score a half-neck win from the fast-finishing Whata Optimist ($1.40 fav) with The Notorious R G B ($14) five metres away third.
Hill superbly angled the winner into a one-out, one-back position early from gate two on the second row while Whata Optimist, from barrier one, was crossed and trailed the leader.
Again, going into the back straight, the leader was crossed pushing the red-hot favourite further back and Hill, alert to the situation, took off on Clarenden Sakura and established a good lead turning for home.
The move returned a winning dividend as the five-year-old mare held on from the flashing Whata Optimist.
- Story Graham Fischer
- Photo Walter Bulyga