We have become so accustomed to Bettor's Delight dominating our harness racing age group classics that it comes as a bit of a surprise when he was completely shut out of the placings in a Young Guns heat at Alexandra Park this afternoon.
Pacing Major from the All Stars barn was all the rage with punters, going out at the prohibitive odds of $1:30
John Dunn sent the well performed Billy Badger forward from barrier three to claim the early lead and kept up a steady tempo early.
Natalie Rasmussen settled Pacing Major in the one by one early before moving to the parked position with 1100 metres to go.
These two went together without getting serious until 400 metres from home where the speed really went on.
Billy Badger had a length to spare with 100 metres to go but Pacing Major was taking ground off him the whole time but was still half a head in arrears at the line.
Triple Play was 5 3/4 lengths away in third place
The 1700 metres was cut out in a very quick 2:03.9, a mile rate of 1:57.3 with closing sectionals of 56.2 and the last 400 metres in a very quick 26.2
The Robert Dunn trained Billy Badger is bred to be well above average.
He is by leading sire Art Major and is the first foal of the Badlands Hanover mare Lady Antebellum who is a daughter of the former outstanding Ann Other Porsche who took a mark of 1:51.6 in North America on the way to earning $791,575
Art Major has had to live in the shadow of Bettor's Delight in the last few years but in Billy Badger and Pacing Major, he looks to have a couple of high class juveniles capable of upsetting the Bettor's Delight juggernaut.
Harnesslink Media