Equal career best for Hryhorec at Globe
South Australia’s premier trainer Ryan Hryhorec had a career-equalling best with five winners at Globe Derby Park on Saturday.
Hryhorec, 45, prepared the winners of races three to seven on Saturday with Lochinvar Magic, Trailblazer, John Vincent and Cadence Lane before taking out the final event with Ebonys Avenger.
Hryhorec also drove the final four of his five winners with Danielle Hill successful on Lochinvar Magic.
It is the second time he has prepared five winners at a meeting. He also achieved the feat at the Strathalbyn Harness Racing Club meeting at Globe Derby Park on Saturday, April 5 this year.
The victories also took the trainer to a career tally of 1099 winners while his four driving successes enabled him to reach an impressive 2600 victories.
The training wins took Hryhorec to 89 for the season to clearly lead the SA Trainer’s premiership, 43 ahead of second-placed Samantha Hill.
Hryhorec said he had been unaware the five winners had equalled his career-best.
“I’m not really into the stats, I am a professional trainer, and it is my job to get winners for my owners,” Hryhorec said.
“On the drive home I didn’t reflect on the wins, rather I was thinking about of a couple of my other runners as to why they hadn’t won but obviously it was a good day at the office.
“I’m very lucky to have such a good staff because it wouldn’t be possible to have the horses going so well without them. My wife Kerri is definitely the backbone of the business.
“Mark (Norman) and Kaycee (Carey) have been a fantastic help as we have nearly 40 horses to work each day.
“Then there are workers required to gear the horses up on race day who are also crucial and Bec (Taylor) and Ollie (Stauwer-Smith) are a great help.
Hryhorec said he was impressed by three-year-old Lochinvar Magic, a strong winner of the #stepuptobreastcancer Pace (1800m).
Sensationally backed from $2.20 into $1.45 favourite, the colt sat parked early before finishing strongly to draw clear for a 3-1/2 metre win from Clarenden Tribute ($10) with Dallas Dale ($3), two metres away third.
Lochinvar Magic returned an excellent winning mile rate of 1:56.9.
“He deserved the win,” Hryhorec said.
“He ran really well for seconds to the horse of Emma Stewart (Beach Diamond) in the past two weeks.
“It was another tough run tonight, he can run again next meeting then have a short break.”
Lochinvar Magic’s next run will be on Monday, September 8 in the $14,000 final of last Saturday night’s race.
It will be the main meeting of SA harness racing with no meeting scheduled for Saturday.
Trailblazer was the trainer’s second winner in the Bargain Steel Centre Pace (2230m).
A $9.50 chance, the six-year-old had a perfect run behind the leader before coming wide to score by 1-1/2 metres from Boulder City ($2.80 fav) with Ubetonred ($6) a similar margin away third.
Bred and owned by Gawler Harness Racing Club president Kaye Halliday. Trailblazer had a good spell earlier this year after being injured and has improved with three runs back in work.
John Vincent has been an excellent purchase by Port Pirie’s Chris Harvey and Mick Athanasiou and led throughout in the 1800-Got-Junk? Pace (1800m) to make it two wins-in-a-row.
Well backed at $3, John Vincent scored a metre win from Euro Beat ($8) with Coco Mia ($8), two metres away third.
“He has won eight races since the boys bought him,” the trainer said.
“But each win gets him closer to open company where it would be very tough.”
Hryhorec’s fourth winner was Cadence Lane in the $14,000 Kevin & Kay Seymour Trotters Mobile (2230m).
The four-year-old mare speared to the lead from gate six before handing up to stablemate Majestic Summer.
Hryhorec brought the mare, a $5.50 chance, out to challenge turning for home and she was able to hold off a charging Our Spitfire ($41) by 1-1/2 metres with Twixten ($15) a metre away third.
Cadence Lane has won six races this season and been very well placed.
The fifth of Hryhorec’s winners was Ebonys Avenger which took out the Kvintet Avenger Fin @ Truscott Lodge Trotters Handicap (2230m).
The six-year-old mare, just run down by stablemate Doff Your Cap, last week went one better on Saturday leading throughout.
Ebonys Avenger ($1.90 fav) scored comfortably by 6-1/2 metres from Kyvalley Heist ($9.50) with Used To Be A Maid ($6.50), a stablemate of the winner, a metre away third.
- Story Graham Fischer
- Photo Walter Bulyga