Hot heats leading into a Hot finals night
History buffs are this week trying to find if a two-year-old has ever previously recorded a sub-27 second quarter in South Australia.
At Globe Derby Park, two-year-old filly One Millie ran a sizzling 26.9 second final 400 metres in winning her heat of the 2025 Alabar SA BOTRA Golden Nursery (1800m) which has harness enthusiasts asking if it had been done before.
And this was by a two-year-old having her first race start.
Trained at Gawler by Peter Bain, and driven by Wayne Hill, One Millie opened at $4 in heat oner, was backed in to $2.20 before easing to her starting price of $3.60.
Coming from gate one, the filly was headed off early with Hez So Royal ($2.20 fav) finding the front for trainer Alan Cronin and driver Ryan Hryhorec.
Hill had no hesitation in coming away from the inside to sit outside the leader with just over a lap to go.
South Australia’s top male drivers were prepared to test their pacers over the final 800 metres with a 28.7 second third quarter before coming home in the brilliant 26.9 seconds.
The front pair drew clear of the remaining six runners from the 300-metre mark and went stride-for-stride for the remainder of the race.
Despite sitting parked, the filly gained a narrow advantage in the home straight to score by a head from Hez So Royal with the Cormack-owned Sriracha ($11), 14-1/2 metres away third.
Grumpypants Gracie, trained by Toby Ryan and driven by his wife Lisa was fourth and Centrefold Star, trained by Bronte Giorgio and driven by Michael Smith fifth.
Trainer Peter Bain said One Millie had been yet another outstanding yearling selection by Jamie Durnbeger-Smith from Summit Bloodstock.
“Jamie has a fantastic eye for yearlings, and he picked this filly up for about $10 or $11,000,” Bain said.
“She has shown plenty of ability at home, but it is always something new for them in a race.”
Bain will be looking for his second Golden Nursery success having supplied the quinella in 2015 with Hilltop Sophia winning from Hilltop Rose.
Hobby trainer Sharon Newman is loving the ride with Just Jimmy, the winner of heat two of the 2025 Alabar SA BOTRA Golden Nursery.
With top Victorian reinsman Michael Bellman in the sulky, Just Jimmy ($8) sprinted strongly to grab the $1.40 favourite Open The Gates, also trained by Peter Bain and driven by Wayne Hill winning by 1-1/2 metres.
Steam Machine ($6), trained and driven by David Drury from Mount Gambier, was a metre away third.
Doug Stewart, also trained in Mount Gambier by Alyce Finnis, and driven by her husband Jayson, was fourth with Shemeansbusiness, trained by Ella Brechin and driven by Kevin Weidenbach fifth.
Top South Australian trainer Ryan Hryhorec could have nearly half the field in this Saturday’s Group 3 $40,000 South Australian Trotters Cup (2645m).
In heat of the Ladbrokes Trotters Cup (2645m) last Saturday, Hryhorec trained the trifecta with Alderbaran Dexta ($5.50), driven by the trainer beating Phoebe Onyx ($13), with Gaita Pullicino in the sulky by four metres with Regal Attire ($2.80 fav), driven by Danielle Hill, a metre away third.
Victorians A True Story, and last year’s Trotters Cup winner Jazspur, finished fourth and fifth.
In heat two, Johns Boy ($6), trained by Brent Lilley and driven by Tristan Larsen, finished best to score a half head win from All The Trix ($3.70) with the Ryan Hryhorec-trained Ebonys Avenger ($3.60 fav), two metres away third.
Another Hryhorec-trained runner, Doff Your Cap finished fourth with Ikigai, trained by Ingrid Smith and driven by Michael Smith finishing fifth.
- Graham Fischer
- Walter Bulyga