Springfield Affair takes out the Country Cups Pacing Final
Ultra-consistent Springfield Affair was rewarded with a victory in Saturday’s Listed $25,000 2025 Five540 Services Port Pirie Pacing Cup (2530m).
As the SA Country Cup series came to a conclusion, two of the state’s senior harness racing participants combined to land Springfield Affair an all-the-way winner.
Trainer Kevin Von Duve, 66, from Glencoe in South Australia’s South-East spends much of his life travelling his horses to race meetings made the seven-hour trip to Port Pirie to combine with passionate reinsperson Gaita Pullicino, 69, for the victory.
The tough seven-year-old, which cost just $8000 as a yearling, took his stakes earnings to $203,375 with his 25th win from 161 starts.
A well backed $2.90 favourite, Springfield Affair withstood a late challenge by Aintsobad ($6.50) to win by a half neck with Assassinator ($26), nine metre away third in an excellent mile rate of 1:58.4.
During the country cup series, the South-East pacer ran third in the Mount Gambier Cup, then seconds in the Kapunda and Strathalbyn cups before heading to Port Pirie.
Von Duve said he had booked Pullicino for the drive on Springfield Affair because the gelding needed an aggressive driver.
“I knew Gaita would put him into his races,” Von Duve said.
“He is a horse that likes to lead or be up on the speed and Gaita is wonderful at doing that.”
Pullicino made it near-impossible for any rivals to challenge Springfield Affair with a perfectly rated drive with four sub-30 second quarters for the last 1600 metres.
Aintsobad, which had trailed the leader, made a challenge in the home straight but couldn’t catch the leader.
Von Duve said Springfield Affair was home in his irrigated paddock on his farm at Glencoe by Sunday afternoon.
“He leads a pretty good life.
“He is always in a green paddock, works out on a sand track through the forest and isn’t hoppled between runs.
“When he is galloping through the forest he might see a tiger snake, a kangaroo or an emu, he just loves it.”
Von Duve said Springfield Affair would be back for the $25,000 Adelaide Pacing Cup (2230m) at Globe Derby Park on Saturday, April 26 before having a let up.
Many of the Port Pirie Cup contestants are likely to front up in the Adelaide Pacing Cup.
Victor Harbor Cup winner Lord Zarias which finished fourth at Port Pirie is definitely headed to the Adelaide Pacing Cup, but trainer Two Wells Ryan Hryhorec said the gelding would be headed to the paddock after the run.
“I love the Country Cups series but being run so close together it is tough on the horses,” Hryhorec said.
The trainer also revealed Betterzippit, winner of the inaugural $1 million The Nullabor at Gloucester Park in Perth, has joined his team.
The Port Pirie meeting also had an incredible two $101 winners, one of which was Lunchinheaven in the 2025 Ladbrokes Country Gradation Series final (2050m).
Driven by Michael Smith for veteran Virginia trainer Phil Westbury, 72, Lunchinheaven dashed up the sprint lane to score a half neck win from the $1.80 favourite Repetitive with Machete Roulette ($5), 2-1/2 metres away third.
The five-year-old mare settled second on the fence behind Repetitive, travelled well, and produced a quality sprint to run down the favourite.
The other $101 winner was Itz Blackjack, which led throughout to win the Typhoon Project Services Pace (1609m).
Well rated by Lisa Ryan, Itz Blackjack beat Captain Cosmonaut ($11) by 3-1/2 metres with White Star Village ($11), a metre away third..
The winner is trained in Broken Hill by Tony Camilleri.
- Story Graham Fischer
- Photo Lindall White