THE old boy seems to be getting quicker.
At least that’s what the clock says about the great Lennytheshark.
David Aiken’s eight-year-old smashed the clock despite showing his wayward and wobbling racing ways again in today’s $30,000 Group 3 Yarra Valley Cup – his last lead-up run to the start of the Perth Inter Dominion on November 24.
Lennytheshark paced the marathon 2650m trip in a scorching 1min55.3sec mile rate.
It smashed the previous track record of 2min0.1sec set by retired star Restrepo in last year’s Cup.
Most remarkably, Lennytheshark roared home his last two splits in 26.9 and 27.3sec.
It was his third sparkling victory from as many starts this campaign.
Knowing he had his main rival, My Field Marshal, parked outside him, driver Chris Alford poured on the pressure down the back straight.
As he so often does, Lennytheshark wobbled, hung-out, drifted-in and looked oh so wayward at times.
But he was simply a class above them and won by 3.9m.
Driver Anthony Butt had to make a midrace move from a trail to sit parked on My Field Marshal once Alford had found the lead and was able to dictate.
My Field Marshal never looked like winning, but ran yet another gallant race for second.
He’ll be glad to see Lennytheshark head west as My Field Marshal stays in Victoria for some other country cups.
Talented sit-sprinter Tee Cee Bee Macray sustained a booming three-wide run around them in those blistering closing splits and ran one of his best races for a close third.
And former Kiwi stayer Messini, who returned to form winning the Swan Hill Cup at his previous run, franked that form with a strong fourth.
Adam Hamilton