Narobis win sees her qualify for the Yorke Peninsula HRC Cup
Classy mare Narobi peeled off a quick 27.4 second last quarter to win at Globe Derby Park on Saturday and make it three wins from her past four starts.
Trained at Gawler River by Peter Bain, Narobi ($1.35 fav) gave reinsman Wayne Hill a winner at his first meeting back from injury.
Hill, last season’s premier driver, damaged his pelvis in a fall at Globe Derby Park on January 19.
“It was very painful,” Hill said.
“I was on crutches for two weeks which was frustrating as I couldn’t do anything.
“It is all good now and great to win on this mare.”
Narobi sat second early before outsprinting the leader The Reginator ($3.20) over the final 400 metres to win by 3-1/2 metres. Duke Of Dundee ($14) was 12 metres away third.
The mare won heat one of the Ladbrokes Yorke Peninsula HRC Cup and now qualifies for the $8000 final over 2050 metres at the Kadina Harness Racing Club meeting at Port Pirie next Sunday, March 1.
Aaron Bain, manager of Aaron Bain Bloodstock, part-owner of Narobi, said the mare was improving with racing.
“She won her first start in good fashion leading, then had two moderate efforts,” Bain said.
“After a break she has raced a lot better, and it was great on Saturday to see her settle nicely behind the leader then peel off a really quick sectional to claim the win.
“She has the talent to continue through the grades, and the ownership group look forward to watching her in next Sunday’s final.”
The state’s leading trainer, Ryan Hryhorec, again demonstrated he has not lost any of his skill as a reinsman with a winning treble.
Hryhorec partnered the promising Sheza Carona, which he trains, in the Ladbrokes Top 2/3/4 Betting Pace (1800m) which was the first heat of a race which has an $8000 final over 1609 metres at Port Pirie next Sunday, March 1.
He then scored on Clarenden Legacy for Wasleys trainer Claire Goble in the Hahn Super Dry Pace (1800m) before rounding off the meeting on the in-form square gaiter So Vogue which made it five straight wins in the Bargain Steel Centre Trotters Mobile (1800m).
Despite giving a lot of his stable drives to Danielle Hill, who has landed 25 winners this season, Hryhorec sits second with 19 following his treble.
Hryhorec said he had a lot of time for Sheza Carona which is owned in Port Pirie by Peter Brodie.
“We have deliberately brought her along slowly,” Hryhorec said.
“She is a four-year-old mare and tonight was just her ninth start. I really believe she can go through her classes.”
Sheza Carona ($2.10 equal fav) scored a three-metre win over stablemate Waitpinga Reactor ($2.10 equal fav) with Sweet Arpeggio ($34), two metres away third.
Waitpinga Reactor led from gate one with Sheza Carona on his back but not complexly holding her spot which saw Kevin Weidenbach on Skinny Horace “ease” his way into the trailing spot forcing Hryhorec to come out and sit parked.
The leader over-raced with three sub-30-second quarters of the last 1600 metres and tired late with Sheza Carona proving too good.
Clarenden Legacy landed some good bets in taking out the Hahn Super Dry Pace (1800m).
Having his third run back from a break, the eight-year-old was backed from $7.50 into $3.90.
Hryhorec had him away quickly from gate two and Calculating Dancer ($2.40 fav), which led from barrier one, handed up to take the trail.
Once in front, Clarenden Legacy recorded good sectionals to score a 1-1/2 metre win from Cyclone Brenda ($13) with Calculating Dancer, having every chance, a similar margin away third.
It was the winner’s 12th career victory, but his first since February 4, 2024.
Hryhorec’s treble came up with an all-the-way win on So Vogue in the Bargain Steel Centre Trotters Mobile (1800m).
He made a winning move asking So Vogue ($1.85 fav) to accelerate from the 700-metre mark giving his challengers something to chase.
Spotlight ($4) couldn’t match the acceleration but refused to yield and made a late charge but was beaten a neck.
Hayoak ($5) also ran on well to be three metres away third.
This week’s harness meeting will be the Kadina Harness Racing Club meeting at Port Pirie featuring a host of feature races.
- story Graham Fischer
- Photo Walter Bulyga