Last Tango In Heaven successful on a rainy night

Trainer Ryan Hryhorec and driver Danielle Hill made the most of the rain-shortened Globe Derby Park harness meeting on Saturday.

Only three races were able to be run before the meeting was abandoned because of shocking visibility for the drivers with the afternoon and early evening rain tending to make the surface sloppy.

Each race meant the track tended to loosen up even more and drivers were coming back covered in the track surface.

Hryhorec and Hill combined to win two of the three races run.

Their first win was with the much-travelled Last Tango In Heaven which won the stand start Bianco Reinforcing Pacers Handicap (2230m).

Coming off 10 metres, Last Tango in Heaven began nicely and after two runners close by galloped, Hill opted to go forward and find the lead.

Oncer in front, the seven-year-old was rated perfectly to score.

Backed from $3.30 into $2.30 favourite, Last Tango In Heaven won by 7-1/2 metres from Duke Of Dundee ($13) with Artillery ($4), 1-1/2 metres away third.

Trainer Ryan Hryhorec said the winner was a talented pacer which was improving with every start in South Australia.

“Even though his run last week when ninth looks ordinary, his own sectionals over the last half were very good,” Hryhorec said.

“He is safe and reliable from a stand and when Dani was able to find the front, he was always going to be hard to beat.”

Last Tango In Heaven dashed home his last 400 metres in 27.6 seconds which ensured he would be very hard to beat.

The gelding began his career in New Zealand with champion trainer-driver Tony Herlihy where won six races from 27 starts with 13 placings, one of which was a third behind the champion Copy That.

Australia’s biggest owner Mick Boots purchased him around the start of 2023, but he only won two races at Menangle over a 12-month period before changing trainer and winning another two and went for a campaign in Queensland.

He had a 12-month break before resuming in South Australia, now with Ryan Hryhorec.

Last Tango In Heaven has now won two races from nine starts for Hryhorec.

“I think he can continue to improve and believe he will be very competitive in the better class racers here in South Australia,” the trainer said.

“I like him, he is a nice horse,” driver Danielle Hill said.

“With the gallopers around him I decided to go forward and weas able to find the lead.

“Once in front I was confident he would be very hard to beat.

“There is no reason why he can’t win a few more as I believe he is still improving.”

The Hryhorec-Hill double came up with John Vincent in the Ladbrokes Popular SRM Pace (22330m), the last race before the meeting was abandoned.

John Vincent ($2.10 fav) had to sit parked but still proved too strong scoring by a half head from the fast-finishing Told You Twice ($6.50) with Maharajah ($26), 1-1/2 metres away third.

The five-year-old has been an excellent purchase by Port Pirie’s Chris Harvey and his friend Adelaide’s Mick Athanasiou who picked him up in January this year.

Saturday’s win took his stakes for his owners to $50,068 from 11 wins. Those victories enabled him to join Classic Line at the head of the Leading State Horse which will conclude on December 31.

“He has been a real star for the stable,” Hryhorec said.

“He is a perfect horse. Came here with a good grade, is sound and fronts up each time.

“It will get harder now as he is getting up in class, but it would be nice if he could win the State Award.

“But that is going to be tough as Classic Line is a smart horse and Bellezza Nera and Alora have 10 wins, so that will be a race itself.”

The other race conducted as the Northside Trophies Pace (1800m) which saw an excellent win by Places You Don’t, bred, owned and trained by Toby Ryan, and driven by his wife Lisa.

Places You Don’t ($19) finished powerfully out wide to win by a head from Shireen ($3.20 fav) with Laylas Princess ($4.80) also running on well, eight metres away third.

Trainer Toby Ryan was not surprised by the win.

“When I looked at the field I felt her form was as good as anything else in the race,” Ryan said.

“Our problem was that she had drawn the outside of the front row and where would she settle in the run.

“Lisa went back and Places You Don’t settled a clear last but there was a good tempo up front which suited our mare.

“She got a great cart into the race on the back of Apieceoflou and when the leaders got tired she was able to wind up out wide.”

• Graham Fischer
• Photo Walter Bulyga