Ebonys Avenger takes out Pride Of Petite
A brilliant drive by Ryan Hryhorec enabled class mare Ebonys Avenger to land the feature trot at Globe Derby Park on Saturday.
The $2.70 favourite, Ebonys Avenger came off a 40-metre handicap to score a four-metre win in the 2025 SA Square Trotters Association Pride Of Petite (2230m) beating stablemate Majestic Summer ($12) with Janes Gem ($9), seven metres away third.
The race is named after the outstanding New Zealand squaregaiter Pride Of Petite, which ironically also came off a 40-metre handicap to win the 1997 Inter Dominion Trotters Grand Final at Globe Derby Park in what is arguably the best trotting race in history.
Pride Of Petite won in a photo after a sizzling sprint, but on Saturday, Hryhorec left nothing to chance driving the six-year-old mare like she was the best horse in the race.
Early, there was a bit of sentiment when Our Spitfire ($14), trained by Peta Brown and driven by her husband Terry, found the front after beginning brilliantly off her 10-metre handicap. She is owned and was bred by Frank Weaver, the owner of Pride Of Petite.
Brown tried to rate the mare with a pedestrian 32.3 second first quarter of the last 1600 metres.
Ebonys Avenger began quickly off her handicap and was already in front of several of her rivals on settling down.
Hryhorec was acutely aware of Brown’s plan and allowed his mare to trot around and sit parked to ensure he could dictate the race tempo.
He continually quickened the speed with a final three quarters of 31.1, 29.4 and 29.2 and Ebonys Avenger trotted clear to win comfortably.
Hryhorec also trains the winner and had five runners in the feature. Stablemate Majestic Summer emerged from the chasing pack to grab an impressive second.
Our Spitfire battled on gallantly but faded in the run home to finish fourth.
“I believe Ebonys Avenger was the best horse in the race, and when Terry (Brown) had a slow first quarter it made sense to go around and put the mare into the race,” Hryhorec said.
“Once there, I was able to control the speed, and I knew she would be near-impossible to beat.
“She is a class mare and run at the top level and the win has taken her stakes to nearly $300,000. I will try to find suitable races for her leading up to the South Australian feature races later in the year.”
Hryhorec landed a training treble on Saturday to take his SA tally to 96 winners for the season.
Recent stable addition Miss Out ($2.40 fav) came with a well-timed run to win the Book Your Xmas Function At Globe Pace (1800m).
Driven by Danielle Hill, the four-year-old mare scored a half neck win from The Notorious R B G ($14) with Skyline Angel ($3.80), two metres away third.
Miss Out was bred and is owned by one of Australia’s leading enthusiasts Norm Jenkin and had been racing unsuccessfully in provincial New South Wales with her last win in December last year.
Coming from gate six on Saturday, Hill allowed the mare to settle at the tail of the field before sprinting strongly in the home straight to grab a win.
Hryhorec was in the sulky to bring up the treble on Harro Hill in the SAHRC Life Members Pace (1800m).
Coming from the extreme outside draw of gate six, Hryhorec sent the mare forward and she was able to cross and lead where again he was able to dictate a winning tempo.
Harro Hill ($2 fav) scored by two metres from Resurrects ($2.70) with Bet Im Special ($18), 3-1/2 metres away third.
Again, he gradually increased the speed over the last 1600 metres with quarters of 32, 31.5, 29.8 and 28.2 making it very difficult for others to run the mare down.
Driver Josh Holberton had Resurrects perfectly placed one-out, one-back in the run but he could not run down the leader with the excellent rating of the leader.
Harro Hill was purchased in June by Port Pirie’s Chris Harvey and Hryhorec’s wife Kerri Stauwer and her son Ollie Stauwer-Smith took shares.
The mare has more than repaid her price with three wins and a second from her past four starts.
The driver’s premiership in SA is interesting with freelance driver Wayne Hill in front with 114 wins, 17 clear of Danielle Hill who is approaching the century with 97.
Hryhorec keeps chipping away and is in third spot with 85.
While he is an outstanding reinsman as he displayed on Saturday with his brilliant double, he also hands out many winning drives to Danielle Hill, as he did with Miss Out.
The battle for the 2025 premiership could still have a few twists and turns left before the winner is declared.
- Graham Fischer
- Photo Walter Bulyga