It was the night we had been waiting for.
Emerging trainer Anton Golino and the leviathan team that is Yabby Dams has been threatening to dominate a major meeting.
And it happened when they snared two Group 1s and Group 3 at Melton’s huge Vicbred “trotting finals” night last night (Friday).
It started when three-year-old Muscle Mass filly Nieta posted her seventh win from just 14 starts when she sat behind main danger, Kyvalley Kyrie, and out-zipped her to win the Group 3 Vicbred Silver Trot.
“If they were ever going to beat her tonight was the night when they walked and dashed up the straight, but I think they underestimated her speed tonight,” driver Nathan Jack told harness.org.au.
Like so many of the stars of the Vicbred meeting, Nieta’s next main target is the Breeders Crown.
Nieta is bred to keep improving being out of La Biscuit, a daughter of former champion trotting mare La Coocaracha.
Golino’s enormous depth in three-year-old trotting filly ranks was underlined when another one of his, Kinvara Sue, used the pole to lead and thrash her rivals with Jason Lee aboard in the Group 1 3YO Fillies’ Vicbred final.
Lee broke her his rivals with a 28.6sec split down the back and won by 11.1m in a 2min0.4sec mile rate for 2240m, but the effort of runner-up Margaret Ruth to carry a flat tyre most of the trip was outstanding.
“It’s been a tremendous effort by the team to get her to relax and to do that tonight and have the horse outside her there racing very fierce, and for to relax and rip home like that was terrific,” Lee said about Kinvara Sue.
“Any win is awesome but when they’ve got Group 1 written behind them that was pretty special. To win my first Group 1 trotters race for Anton and Pat is just awesome. Really enjoy sitting behind a trotter now.”
Pat is of course Pat Driscoll, the man, the brains and the money behind Yabby Dams.
Driscoll and Golino’s treble came up when Aldebaran Eve, driven by Gavin Lang, led throughout and just held-off favourite Into The Unknown in the Group 1 Vicbred 4YO Mares’ final.
“Credit to Anton and the team. She’s probably not the most gifted horse they’ve got but great manners, great attitude and a little bit ability which always helps.” Lang said.
Golino praised the his team at Yabby Dams, most notably former All Stars’ travelling foreman Shaun McNaulty
“We are starting to get a good team of horses and people,” Golino said. “Young Shaun helps with me with the horses and does a great job.”
YOUNG trotting star Wobelee stirs plenty of memories for driver and co-trainer Chris Alford.
His fantastic juvenile season of six wins a second and a third from just eight starts has rekindled memories more than 20 years old for Alford.
It was 1995 when Alford’s father unearthed the great juvenile trotter Noopy Kiosk, who ranks up with the best baby trotters Australia has seen.
Wobelee’s fantastic record, slick times and big winners margins have drawn inevitable comparisons.
Throw in the fact Wobelee is trained by Alford’s wife, Alison, and it’s been a pretty special ride this season.
Wobelee made it six wins on end and snared his second Group 1 when he won the Vicbred 2YO final at Melton last night by 18.2m.
Previously he’d won the Group 1 Vicbred Platinum final by 16.3m on June 3 and the Group 2 Tatlow final before that.
“He just likes to race. He doesn’t do a real lot at home. We didn’t have much idea other than that he trotted and he’d make the races until he qualified. He just got better and better each time he goes out. He just wants to get out there and go. He knocked off when he got a long way in front tonight.
“I don’t have to ask him (early) he just wants to go.
“He’s got his dad’s speed and good for him he’s got better manners.”
Wobelee’s “dad” is brilliant but sometimes erratic trotter Down Under Muscles, who won 17 of 41 starts and $216,925 in stakes.
ANTHONY Butt’s daring and aggressive driving has won him countless feature races.
It proved the difference again last night when Butt surprised a few by leading and holding the front on Enrolled in the Group 1 Vicbred 4YO final (2240m).
Many thought Butt might take the “safe” option and take a trail behind hot favourite Maori Law, however Butt had different ideas.
Maori Law didn’t enjoy having to do the grunt work, broke under pressure and Enrolled powered to a 7.4m win for Butt and trainer Brent Lilley.
Butt capped a double and caused the upset of the night aboard $32.10 outsider Crow Power in the Group 3 Vicbred Silver final.
Other drivers to land doubles on the big night were Nathan Jack – Nieta and two-year-old filly Moonshine Linda – and Gavin Lang, who won on Aldebaran Eve and Deltasun in the Group 1 3YO colts and geldings final.
Michael Guerin