Leading Victoria harness racing trainer Emma Stewart seldom goes home empty-handed when she hits Tabcorp Park Menangle.
And her attention to youngsters and her marvellous training efforts with co-trainer Clayton Tonkin were brought to the fore again at Tabcorp Park Menangle tonight when lightly-raced The Storm Inside scored an easy win in the Grinders Coffee Rod Fitzpatrick Memorial.
Taken straight to contest the early lead with Prince Syntax, reinsman Greg Sugars soon settled The Storm Inside $1.80 favourite) at the head of the field.
Able to back off the speed in the second quarter in 31.7s, the son of Rocknroll Hanover opened up in the straight to score a 4.4m win over Our Triple Play, who tested the favourite in the middle stages of the race before wilting slightly in the straight finish second with Redbank Blaze just grabbing third, narrowly in front of Weona Sizzler.
The winner rated 1:54.8 in an impressive display.
Sugars later paid tribute to Stewart and her training prowess.
"This bloke might be inexperienced, he's only had the two starts, but you'd swear he'd done this 100 times before," said Sugars.
"And he seems to do it with some petrol left in the tank, which is pretty impressive when you look at the sectionals he is reeling off.
"Emma's horses never lack schooling – they are really professional racehorses and I think The Storm Inside showed that here tonight.
"I really think he's a young horse going places."
The Storm Inside
by Michael Court