Peter Bains training strike rate at 50% following Mikis Beauty win Sunday
Gawler harness trainer Peter Bain has an incredible strike rate of 50% following the win of Mikis Beauty at Globe Derby Park on Sunday.
It was Bain’s 26th winner for the season from just 51 starters.
Generally, a strike rate of 20% is considered very good wto his effort to be striking at 50% is outstanding.
The win has moved the 62-year-old into seventh position on the SA Trainer’s premiership with the runaway leader Ryan Hryhorec on 134.
Bain has had a trainer’s licence for about 35 years but only ever had a successful small family team in work before stepping up this year taking over from his son Aaron.
Mikis Beauty was an unbackable $1.07 favourite in the Ladbrokes Big Bets Pace (1800m) coming from gate two with Wayne Hill in the sulky.
The four-year-old mare began well but found Dallas Dale, coming from gate seven, keen to race for the leader with driver Gaita Pullicino seeking a treble.
Mikis Beauty had the speed to hold the front and the race developed into a procession.
After a quick 29.7 second first quarter, Hill slackened the speed with a 32.1 second quarter before dashing home in 57.4 seconds for an easy six-metre win from The Notorious R G B ($26) with Pre Nup ($19), four metres away third.
Purchased from New Zealand by Aaron Bain Racing and Summit Bloodstock, Mikis Beauty has won both her SA starts for Bain.
On Monday, she raced away to win the Northside Trophies Pace (2230m) by a staggering 44 metres.
While Sunday’s win was a lot more conservative, the mare won just as easily with Hill never really asking her for a supreme effort.
Veteran reinsperson Gaita Pullicino drove her 1000th career win last week and already is out on the chase to add to her tally.
On Sunday, Pullicino, 70, drove a winning double landing King Of Love and Calculating Dancer.
From the stable of comeback trainer Ben Weidenbach, King Of Love ($5) gave a brilliant exhibition to win the Bianco Reinforcing Trotters Handicap (2230m).
Coming off a 10-metre handicap, Pullicino had the seven-year-old away brilliantly and he quickly trotted up to find the front, and it was a case of “catch me if you can” and they couldn’t.
King Of Love scored by 8-1/2 metres from Buckles ($12) with Viksun ($41) a head away third.
Two races later, Pullicino drove Calculating Dancer to victory for her husband Frank, the trainer.
From barrier one on the second row, Pullicino had Calculating Dancer away well to trail Childers Road which pushed through to lead from gate one.
She angled the eight-year-old away from the inside turning for home and he sprinted strongly.
Calculating Dancer ($21) raced away to win by seven metres from Childers Road ($10) with its stablemate Magnetize ($8.50) a half-metre away third.
- Graham Fischer
- Photo Walter Bulyga