Fly The Banner looking to Emerging Stars final
Talented Fly The Banner took the first step on the path to consecutive victories in the Emerging Stars Pacers Series at Globe Derby Park on Saturday.
The series was introduced last year and Fly The Banner, trained by Robbie Caton and driven by Samantha Hill, scored a half neck win for the trainer’s best win.
The gelding is back this year to emulate the effort and made certain of a spot in the $25,000 final on Saturday, June 28 with a tough, and impressive, heat win.
Coming from gate nine in the Kevin & Kay Seymour Emerging Stars Pacers Series (1800m), heat one Fly The Banner was aggressively driven early by Kevin Weidenbach and wound up sitting parked outside the leader Stormy Gale.
Weidenbach asked the gelding to go for home past the 400-metre mark and found the lead coming off the back.
Fly The Banner had good punter support firming from $7 into $3.80, but had the $1.40 favourite Lizzie Shelby on his back and she loomed up as the pair were about to flatten out for home.
Under Weidenbach’s urgings, Fly The Banner comfortably held the favourite and drew clear to win by 6-1/2 metres from Lizzie Shelby with Stormy Gale ($41), 15 metres away third.
Caton said his family had purchased the winner during the week for $8000.
“We had raced him on lease with an option to buy and took that option up this week,” Caton said.
“That was his ninth win for us, and I’m hoping he can take out the final at the end of the month.
“Bad draws hadn’t favoured him at his last two runs after a good first up win.
“I thought he was back slightly in class tonight and knew he would run well.”
Lizzie Shelby, having her first run for three weeks, battled on well and will prove a challenger in the final.
Splash Of Paynt was a dominant winner of the Ladbrokes Quick Multi Pace (1800m) and trainer Ray Holberton said the win would be a tonic for part-owner Dianne Trotta.
“Dianne has been not well and I’m sure the win would have brought a smile to her face,” Holberton said.
Well backed as the $2.10 favourite, Splash Of Paynt, driven by Danielle Hill, found the front quickly, was well rated and raced away to win by 10 metres from the fast-finishing Most Unlikely ($61) with The Reginator ($8), a half head away third.
Apart from Mrs Trotta, Brian Burke, Mick Searle and Jan Pfeiffer share in the ownership of the speedy three-year-old which can be a bit cantankerous during track work and when asked to stand for a post-race photo.
Quality mare Coco Mia gave connections, and punters who had backed her from $2 into $1.80 fav) a scare at the start of the Paceway Dining Open Race Nights Pace (1800m).
The six-year-old mare, bred and owned by Tara-Shae Linke, galloped as the starter said “go” losing about 15 metres.
Driver Wayne Hill was able to get her back pacing and with an excellent piece of driving settled one-one with a perfect trail.
Coco Mia sprinted from the 400-metre mark to wear down the leader Hes Olly ($23) to win by three metres, with Don Arthur ($3), seven metres away third.
Trainer Tyson Linke was on holiday in Queensland, so it was left to his sister Tara-Shae, and Mum Pauleen and Dad Ross to prepare the mare to race.
“When I saw her gallop I feared I had done something wrong with her gear,” Tara-Shae said.
“I was a lot happier when Wayne (Hill) came back and said she had made contact with mobile at the start putting her off stride – not that it was an ideal start.
“Tyson was on the phone as soon as she was back in the stall to make sure she was okay.
“It was a great drive by Wayne, and I am so proud of the mare.”
Injuries have prevented Coco Mia from having a complete career, but she has an outstanding record of 11 wins and nine placings from just 23 starts with an excellent best winning mile rate of 1:53.7.
Take My Wallet made a winning return after almost a year off in the NC Equine Pace (1800m).
The ex-New Zealand mare is trained by Peter Bain but is owned by longtime harness enthusiast Clancy Garner who is a close neighbour to Bain’s stables.
After travelling one-out, one-back, Take My Wallet ($5.50) finished best to score a half head win over Cyclone Brenda ($2.50 fav) with Resurrects ($3.60) a half neck away third.
The winner was driven by Samantha Hill who had the last laugh on husband Wayne who drove the runner-up.
Trainer Peter Bain paid tribute to Garner.
“Take My Wallet is a quirky mare that prefers her own company, and for that reason I stable her with Clancy,” Bain said.
“He does a lot of slow work with her when we are working the rest of the team.
“The mare has formed a good relationship with Clancy and the results showed today.”
While there were many excellent performances at the wintry meeting, the best may have been in the final event, the Fast As The Wind USA @ Wingate Farm Trotters Handicap (2230m).
Star trotter Doff Your Cap, trained by Ryan Hryhorec and driven by Danielle Hill, came off a 40-metre handicap to score.
Reinsman Kevin Weidenbach found the front early on the well backed Kyvalley Heist ($8 into $4.80) and adopted bold front running tactics to try and make it extra tough for the $1.85 favourite Doff Your Cap.
With sectionals of 29.1,30.8 and 29.7 seconds for the first three quarters of the last 1600 metres, Kyvalley Heist was certainly make the favourite chase, but he walked the final 400 metres in 32.5 seconds.
As a result, Doff Your Cap finished powerfully to win well by four metres.
Driving honours at the meeting were shared by Gaita Pullicino, Kevin Weidenbach and Wayne Hill with two wins each.
- Story – Graham Fischer
- Photo – Walter Bulyga