Shane Hall is celebrating everything about last night’s win aboard Dynamic Diesel (pictured) in the Schweppes 2YO & 3YO Trotters Handicap at Bendigo because “you never know when the next one’s coming”.
For Hall, 53, it was just his second win as a driver but 18th as a trainer.
“It’s pretty special to be able to breed the horse, train the horse and drive your own horse, so I enjoy every moment and celebrate every win,” he said.
Dynamic Diesel stepped superbly from the 30-metre tape last night, running to the front and absorbing plenty of pressure from Countess Chiron in the run before holding off Quaker Maker late to clock a 2:08.2 rate for the standing start success.
“My bloke was doing it pretty easily and I knew he’d stick on,” Hall said.
“He’d been trialling well and I didn’t have to move on him much at the end. I just had to keep talking to him.”
While observers may at first glance assume the pressure Rod Lakey put on aboard Countess Chiron at the bell may have made it harder for Dynamic Diesel to win, Hall believes it actually helped.
“It wasn’t until Lakey came up that my boy started wanting to go. He can be a fizzy sort of horse and he races better with another horse beside him, so it actually did him a favour. Early when he was out in front he nearly switched off a little bit. As the race wen on he just got better and better and felt more comfortable in himself,” he said.
Hall admitted getting “nervous as … anything” in the lead-up to a race he’s to drive him but said once in the cart he’s fine.
“I only drive my own horses and it was great to get my second win. And the horse picks up the bonus which keeps the cogs turning,” he said.
Meanwhile, legendary reinsman Brian Gath was back in the winners’ stall last night at Bendigo after taking out the Aldebaran Park Trot aboard Nephew Of Sonoko.
The four-year-old gelding from the stables of Ross Graham has prodigious ability but seemingly also a strong mind of his own, which has many times brought him undone on race day.
But for B.R. Gath, who has driven Nephew Of Sonoko at his past two starts for a second placing and now a win, the son of Danny Bouchea has looked only the professional.
Last night’s win was 75-year-old’s Gath’s fourth this season, having previously driven seven winners in seasons 2017-18 and 18-19, which followed eight in 16-17.
If you go back to 2006-07, Gath drove 163 winners from 774 starters for a ridiculously good strike rate of 21 per cent.
‘Comeback kid’ Lakey drove a double courtesy of Lynne Mercieca-prepared Art Finest in the Best Accounting & Audit Pace and Hashtag for trainer Shaun McNaulty in the Garrards Horse & Hound Pace.
Trish McVeigh trained and driven Angus Bromac finished second to Art Finest, McVeigh almost nailing her first winner in the sulky since season 2014-15. She has only driven 11 times in that five-year period. For the trivia buffs, her last win was aboard the then five-year-old Angus Bromac at Albion Park on September 1, 2014.
And Glenn Douglas and Ellen Tormey combined for a winning double via Torrid Saint in the Max Bakery & Café Pace and Elegant Jewel in the Yabby Dam Racing Pace.
David Murphy took driving honours at Tabcorp Park Melton yesterday with four-year-old Romany Brown successful in the COGS Pace for trainer John Murphy, and Karlene Tindale-trained Ammichhi winning the Talking Trots on SENTrack 3YO Pace.
Today’s double-header kicks off with Shepparton trots before tonight the spotlight turns to Kilmore. Check out Trots Centre for a detailed preview.
First-Starter Form for Today
A look at those horses making their debut today at the trots…
Shepparton
Race 1
Romances (3yo filly by Yankee Boy out of The Secret Dance)
Dam was a US-born two-time winner in Queensland by Keep It A Secret. This is her first foal to race. Registered a confidence-boosting win at the Shepparton trials in a leisurely rate of 2:17.0 in March. More recently was second in 2:05.8 beaten 20m by Sultan Sass. Trained and driven by Cameron Maggs.
Race 2
Watchmedazzle (2yo gelding by Hes Watching out of Shoom Shoom)
Second foal to race from the Grinfromeartoear mare who was unraced. Granddam was African Dancer, who won 21 races and produced several winners, including Prophesy (13 wins from 66 starts, 1:53.2 and $131k), Redbank Blaze (18 wins from 111 starts, 1:51.2 and $230k), Bamako Mali (13 wins from 33 starts, 1:55.6, $259k) and Shezallatitude (11 wins from 23 starts, 1:55.1 and $252k).
Trained and driven by David Aiken. More detail in the Trial File extract below via Craig Rail.
Upright (2yo colt by Art Major out of Pretty Interest)
Second foal to race from this mare, who also produced Interest Me (3 wins from 11 starts to date). Granddam was Pretty Smooth, mother of Anvil Vance, a 17-time winner for $450k in stakemoney, Anvil Vance was a fast-class star and placed third in the 1998 A.G. Hunter Cup behind Try A Fluke and Sovereign Hill.
Trained by Steve Duffy, driven by Bec Bartley, won a recent trial, which is detailed below via Craig Rail’s Trial File.
Giannis Ay Macray (2yo gelding by Grinfromeartoear out of Macray Rosewood)
Bred by well-respected breeder Ian Kitchin, this gelding is out of a Rustler Hanover mare who didn’t race but several of her siblings did for moderate success. Also referenced in the below extract from most recent trial.
Trained and driven by Justin Torney.
Race 3
Gallifrey Direct (3yo gelding by Changeover out of Oliveleven)
Dam was a three-time winner by Kinney Hanover and a half-sister to two other winners, Sharman (9 wins from 102 starts, 2:00.1, $47k) and Kankkunen (11 wins from 94 starts, 1:55.9, $55k).
Trained and driven by Luke Bryant.
Trialled OK for fifth at Bendigo on 30 March.
Jukebox Jet (3yo gelding by Rock N Roll Heaven out of Beautifulsmile)
This horse’s mother raced 10 times for two wins and five minors. This is her first foal.
Trained by Peter Hall and driven by Ryan Sanderson.
Has trialled at least seven times during the past 12 months with three minor placings but no wins.
Kilmore
Race 1
Split Ear (3yo gelding by Night Of The Stars out of Voce)
From a Red River Hanover mare who won six races from 50 goes. One of just two foals by Night of the Stars, who won nine races and is a son of Christian Cullen.
Trained by Brent Lilley and driven by Chris Alford. Showed strong gate speed in recent trial and fought on bravely to be overhauled late by Theultimate, who is showing terrific promise, and they rated 2:01.6 with a 58.1 last half.
Ideal Cullect (3yo gelding by Big Jim out of Cullectakiss)
First foal from unraced Gotta Go Cullect mare.
Trained by Don Gee, driven by Rod Petroff.
Ran fifth in Shepparton trial on March 17.
Race 3
Hotel Kyvalley (2yo colt by Father Patrick out of Lindys Two Step)
From a four-time winning daughter of Muscles Yankee, who has also produced Glenferrie Belle (9 wins from 67 starts, 2:00.9, $59k) and Morgan Mylee, a three-time winning squaregaiter who showed promise as a youngster by winning an Oaks Trial and placing fifth in the Breed for Speed Bronze.
Trained by Brent Lilley and driven by Chris Alford.
Sure to be well-educated in this camp off the back of several trials. If you check out the Search function at the trots.com.au (see magnifying glass under teal ribbon at home page) and type in a horse’s name, you can view all of Craig Rail’s Trial File commentary about each horse. That would be handy for this fella.
Here Comes Kyvalley (2yo colt by Muscle Mass out of Nice One Kenny)
From two-time winning Sundon mare, this guy is a half-brother to Princess Kenny, which has already amassed eight wins from 19 starts.
Produced a solid second placing in a recent trial.
Trained by Brent Lilley, driven by Josh Duggan.
Kyvalley Heist (2yo colt by Muscle Mass out of U Dream)
Dam is a two-time winning daughter of Love You. This is her first foal. Granddam was Galleons Dream, who produced the brilliant Galleons Sunset (14 wins from 50 starts, 1:58.9, $315k), winner of the 2008 Inter Dominion Grand Final as well as the Bill Collins Trotters Mile.
Has trialled twice for a fourth and a second.
Another trained by Brent Lilley, driven by Brad Chisholm.
Watch And Act (2yo gelding by Skyvalley out of Misty Elle)
First foal from unraced Pegasus Spur mare. Granddam produced Frances Annie, a 15-time winner who earnt over $100k in stakemoney.
Comes to the races with the benefit of four trials and under the guidance of trainer-driver Chris Svanosio, who is doing a stellar job with trotters.
HRV Trots Media – Cody Winnell