The harness racing favourites displayed their class in the QBRED Triad Finals at Albion Park last Saturday night.
A pair of Gr.1 $100,000 finals was held for the three-year-olds and the results didn’t shock anyone with classy colt A Good Chance breaking through for a well-deserved triumph in the colts and geldings final while stablemates Bettor Promise and Bettorthanspecial fought out the finish in the fillies final.
Sent off at odds of $1.30, A Good Chance speared straight to the front in the 2138m feature and was perfectly rated in front by his driver Chris Petroff before kicking clear heading off the back straight.
In the home straight, A Good Chance held off a determined finish from Drifting Away to score by a half neck margin while Duke Jujon took inside to grab third some ten metres away.
The mile rate was 1;57.5 with his final mile covered in splits of 31.5, 29.9 27.7 and 28.7 seconds.
A Good Chance is raced by Maureen Smith while prepared by her husband Donny.
The Mr Feelgood – Chance The Walk colt has amassed more than $155,000.
In the fillies’ final, the Shannon Price trained Bettor Promise and Bettorthanspecial were expected to fight out the finish and it went to script.
Almost.
Bettorthanspecial was the best backed runner and started the favourite at $1.60 while Bettor Promise started at odds of $2.60 but it was the latter that led throughout to score in the feature event.
Bettor Promise, handled by Bart Cockburn proved too strong defeating Bettorthanspecial while Feel The Faith ran an excellent third after working hard throughout.
The mile rate was 1;57.0 with the final mile covered in splits of 29.1, 30.7, 29.2 and 28.5 seconds.
The Price fillies repeated their efforts of last season with a top two finish in the Triad Final after Bettorthanspecial beat Bettor Promise but this season was a reverse result.
The Bettor's Delight – As Promised filly has now banked more than $158,000.
In the Gr.2 $50,000 QBRED Triad Final 4yo Mares Final, race favourite Joys A Babe proved too classy defeating Il Cavalino and Charming Allie in a time of 1;58.8 for the 2138m.
Despite being crossed at the start by Il Cavalino, trainer/driver Grant Dixon quickly worked around to re-take the lead and put the event beyond doubt after scoring comfortably at the finish by 3.5 metres.
The Art Major – Joy To Behold mare has built up a fine record for her owner/breeders Kevin and Kay Seymour and the victory pushed her earning past $200,000.
Joys A Babe has won 16 of her 27 starts to date.
In the 4yo entires and geldings final, Mafuta Vautin justified his favoritism ($1.40) when he led throughout defeating Raring To Go and The Duke Downunder.
Mafuta Vautin recorded a time of 1;56.7 while running his final mile in splits of 31.1, 29.7, 28.9 and 28.6 seconds.
Handled by young New Zealand born reinsman Adam Sanderson for trainer Darrel Graham, the Rollon Bigred – Ashleysplace gelding made a clean sweep of the QBRED features this term after taking the Breeders Classic earlier this season.
Bred and raced by Albion Park committeeperson Linda Graham, Mafuta Vautin has now won 11 of his 15 starts with earnings approaching $100,000.
Racing Queensland