Driver Jason Lee looked set for a good night at Tabcorp Park Melton on Friday and that’s the way it panned out with his winning treble including two feature events alongside highly-promising horses.
Ange McDowall’s excitement machine Lumineer made it 13 wins from 14 starts with a hard-fought success in heat one of the Gordon Rothacker Memorial Championship before family square-gaiter Jilliby Babavska got back to winning ways in the Group 3 Alderbaran Park Lenin Trotters Free For All (2240m).
Lumineer had to work hard for his victory. The horse charged across the field from gate six but copped pressure from Greg Sugars and Deedenuto for the lead. While the son of Sportswriter eventually got to the pegs, the early burn resulted in a slick 27.6 first quarter. However, it didn’t stop Lumineer, who held off his rivals in the home straight to score by a narrow margin.
“It’s just a privilege to drive nice horses like he is,” Lee said after the success.
“Obviously he had to burn the candle pretty hard at both ends and it’s probably the first time he’s really had to gas it – especially for a while – out of the gate like that.
“He got a little bit of a breather and probably just got looking around a little bit, but a good horse finds a way to win and that’s what he did.”
Jilliby Babavska, a horse Lee has said had Group 1 potential, showed his class with a strong front-running triumph.
The son of Sundon galloped in the first score up but was given a reprieve with a false start presenting him another chance to get his manners right. And he made no mistake the second time around, leading from start to finish to complete the second leg of a breakthrough winning double for trainer Paddy Lee.
“It’s a good achievement. I’ve had a couple of chances to get one before, but could never get the second one done,” said Paddy, the brother of Jason.
Jason was also at the controls for Paddy’s first triumph on the night, A Jewel In The Crown, who won the Williamstown Bowling Club Trot (1720m, NR 52-61). The daughter of Majestic Son has now won five of 13 career runs.
Jason’s treble takes him to third on the state metropolitan drivers’ premiership table behind Kate Gath and Chris Alford.
On a big night of racing at headquarters, Grant Dixon’s gun Colt Thirty One was back to his best form in winning the Group 3 Garrards Popular Alm Free For All (2240m) and Smart Little Shard produced a tough display to score in heat two of the Gordon Rothacker Memorial Championship (1720m, NR 70-79) for trainer John Nicholson and driver Jack Laugher.
The $30,000 final of the Championship will be held at Melton next Friday night.
HRV Trots Media – Tim O'Connor