The classy Blackmore-prepared trotting mare Senitas Success scored a tough win in a heat of the Trotting Mares Sprint Championship.
Despite parking outside the second favourite and pacemaker Everybodylovesme for a good portion of the 1690m trip the James Herbertson-driven Senitas Success proved too strong in the concluding stages to book her a spot in the $30,000 final to be run at Friday night’s Great Southern Star meeting at Melton.
A change of driver made no difference to Kyabram-trained Hanover Starzzz, which ran out an easy winner at the Geelong meeting on Momday.
Due to Nathan Jack suffering a stable accident on the morning of the race Bailey McDonough was given the drive by trainer Mark Watson and made the most of it.
McDonough made an early but unsuccessful move to take up the front-running position on the five-year-old before easing to enjoy the trip on the back of the pacemaker and then dashing to an emphatic win in the home straight.
Hanover Starzzz was having only his second start back from a year on the sidelines and was well found by punters, who supported him into a $2.30 favourite.
Tongala trainers Watt and Merkel were also to the fore at the Shepparton meeting.
Watt produced Tasma Flash for another win, following up his victory at Bendigo on January 20.
Watt has had the seven-year-old Mach Three gelding for only six starts, which have produced three wins, two seconds and a third placing.
Tasma Flash had to do it the hard way, three deep and then into the death outside the favourite and pacemaker Junior Warfare. But he was up to the challenge, prevailing narrowly over that pacer in the drive to the wire.
• Reinsman Damian Wilson pulled out a gem of a drive on Roslyn Gaye to notch her first win for the new season.
The hardy Merkel-trained mare was locked away three back on the pegs coming off the back straight but Wilson was able to get her into clear running in the home straight and wear down the Rosie Weidenbach-trained roughie Goodlookin Rooster at the finishing post.
The win was made that bit special by the fact that it was the fastest mile rare — 1.55.8 — Roslyn Gaye had recorded in her 11 career wins from 122 starts.
It was also her first win for 20 starts, with her previous victory at Shepparton in August 2021.
• Merrigum trainer Brett Bunfield has wasted little time in producing Eiffel From Heaven for her first Victorian and career win.
After running second at Bendigo on January 20 in her Victorian debut she went one better at Shepparton to break her duck at her 13th race start.
She had little luck in the run but once driver Bec Bartley finally got her into clear running in the home straight she sprinted over her rivals in an impressive win.
By Rock N Heaven, Eiffel From Heaven is the only foal out of the Royal Mattesty mare Parisolodgy, a winner of nine races
• Smart pacer Letsrockletsroll joined the $100,000 winners’ club when he scored at last Saturday night’s Melton meeting.
Driven by visiting NSW concession reinsman Jack Callaghan, the David Aiken-trained Letsrockletsroll was given the run of the race on the back of the favourite Sanday and sprint-laned to victory with a 26.8 final quarter.
The eight-year-old son of Rock N Roll Heaven has now won 14 races with 19 minor placings from 65 race starts for her Lancaster owner Merilyn Dixon.
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