There are a number of moments a trainer will never forget as their career unfolds and we saw one of those at Tabcorp Park Melton on Saturday night.
Kate Hargreaves and Alex Ashwood produced the lightly raced American Ideal filly Ideally Say Yes to take out a heat of the rich Australian Pacing Gold series in what was a tough win from the breeze.
It wasn't Hargreaves first win at Victorian HQ but it will be just as memorable as claiming the first race on Del-Re National A. G. Hunter Cup night last year.
The filly arrived in her heat at just her fourth start but now she heads to Sydney to take on the best fillies available in the $350,000 Group 1 final on April 28.
"We went up to the yearling sales to buy a horse and we went through the process and picked out a few we liked and we had planned on syndicating the one we bought but it didn't work out and all of the horses we had our eye on went for too much money," Hargreaves said.
"I was ready to head home, a bit disappointed we hadn't been able to purchase anything and I heard in the sale ring a filly went for $8000 and I looked around to see where Alex (Ashwood, partner) was so we could leave and he had bid on this filly.
"He thought he had brought a colt at the time but it ended up being this girl and we got her home and she didn't have the best legs and I just said to him 'what have you done'.
"We were really lucky that a few people like Shannon and Paul Nixon were willing to buy in to help us out and a few of my friends from work purchased their first share in a horse, so it's pretty exciting for everyone."
TORNADO BREEZES
IF there is one constant at trotting's elite level it's that change is inevitable. It often comes in different ways with one era ushered out as another arrives.
That shift has been occurring in recent years with Keystone Del handing over the baton to Monbet but with that run at the top fleeting due to injury, the search has continued for the next superstar of the gait.
Right here, right now there may not yet be a standout but with Sparkling Success annexing the Great Southern Star, Maori Time set for an Elitlopp campaign and Tornado Valley emerging from nowhere, the next generation has arrived.
The reputation of Tornado Valley went up another notch on the weekend as he was forced to sit parked for the second straight start.
But this time he had one of the top three or four trotters in Victoria on his back in Red Hot Tooth and he simply crushed his rivals.
There's an argument to be made that she wasn't at her brilliant best but after conquering Sparkling Success in the Australian Trotting Grand Prix to bust his metropolitan maiden just four starts ago, there's little doubt Tornado Valley will be a major player come Inter Dominion time.
ORANGE'S ZEST
AN aggressive Blair Orange drive behind Sheriff proved the difference in an exciting New Zealand Derby on Friday night.
Despite the race lacking the star factor that the injured Chase Auckland would have undoubtedly brought it was a race to remember for many reasons.
The Nigel McGrath-trained son of Bettor's Delight has now won six from 10 but it was his third in the Great Northern Derby behind Chase Auckland and Sicario that saw many sit up and take notice early last month.
During the mid-race shuffle, Orange wasn't content to handover the breeze once he found it and that allowed him to move on to the lead down the back straight on the final occasion.
With challengers coming at him left, right and centre, Sheriff was able to grip on from Pat's Delight and Sicario who rushed home late.
Heroes
KATE HARGREAVES
A young trainer who has produced a number of talented types but to have Ideally Say Yes winning an APG heat over the weekend on the way to Sydney was a special effort.
GARY HALL SNR
Plenty were doubting Western Australia's master trainer heading into the WA Derby but high-profile, and high-priced, purchase King Of Swing was simply too tough.
EMMA STEWART
Had Berisari and Kualoa winning at Melton but Fiscal Fantasy may have provided the biggest smiles for the team.
DANIEL LAIRD
Only has a small team but has done a terrific job with Shady Dancer and celebrated with a memorable salute at Terang.
Horses to Follow
MISS SUGARANDSPICE
This was a horror story for those on at massive odds when she got it all wrong but still rattled late. She heads to a race on Tuesday at Mildura.
MAGICAL MARN
Never saw clear air at Melton on the weekend and is ready to win.
MY CASH
It's hard to know exactly where this girl's ceiling is but she was a most dominant winner at Ballarat through the week.
Coming Up
MILDURA – TUESDAY
- $10,000 Mildura Cup Heats
MILDURA – THURSDAY
- $12,000 Mildura Trotters Cup
MELTON – FRIDAY
- $20,000 Coulter Crown
- $11,000 APG Heats 2YO Colts and Geldings
MILDURA – FRIDAY
- $50,000 Mildura Pacing Cup (Group 2)
- $25,000 Mark Gurry And Associates Cup