JINGLING ALL THE WAY
Jingling Silver capped an unforgettable Redwood Carnival for Chris Lang when she became only the third filly in the past 20 runnings to win the Seelite Windows and Doors Victoria Trotters Derby (2690m) at Maryborough on Sunday, July 18.
The daughter of Conch De Ville joined last year’s winner Arizona Blue and 2003 champion Zesta as the only girls to have upstaged the boys since 1991 when she sprint-laned to victory in the $A75,000 Group 1.
It was Lang’s fourth win for the day and ensured the 25th anniversary Redwood Carnival would go down as his most memorable after also engineering a pair of feature-race quinellas on Friday’s opening day.
“To get four winners on a day like this is quite amazing and it’s been an amazing carnival, so I’m shaking my head in disbelief at how much joy we’ve had over the two days,” the Nagambie horseman said.
“This is something you can’t do on your own, though, there’s a lot of us involved and to the crew at home I thank them very much.”
Jingling Silver made further improvement on an eye-catching second to Miami H in her heat to register the second win of her 17-start career and join Kyvalley Road as Lang’s Victoria Trotters Derby winners.
Backas Cobber made the most of re-entering the draw to pounce on the lead after flying the mobile start. He was still in front 50m out, but couldn’t withstand the finishing bursts of the two horses who trailed him throughout.
My High Expectations ($14) hit the front briefly but was quickly reeled in by Jingling Silver ($12), who scored by a half-neck. Cameos Moment ($52) finished powerfully to pip Backas Cobber ($20) for third, 2.7m away.
The 2:04.2 mile rate was made up of 31.7, 30.3, 30 and 30.8-second quarters.
Kiwi blueblood Miami H blew his chances when he galloped at the start, giving up at least 30m. The $1.50 favourite has to settle for fifth, while local star Rostevarren ($4.80) galloped at the 500m and beat just one runner home.
Lang went into the race thinking Jingling Silver needed a kind draw to be a factor and on the turn he had belief that she could win given the run she’d enjoyed.
“To be quite honest, I thought winning would nearly be beyond her, but drawing eight was the best thing that could have happened because she needed to get a run like she got to be able to win,” he said.
“They’ve still got to be able to capitalise on those runs, though, and she was able to do it.”
The Derby win complemented earlier victories by Kyvalley Mirage in the Maryborough Trotters Cup, Aldebaran Breeze in the Redwood Consolation and Aleppo Sunrise in the T0-T2 Trotters Handicap Final for Lang.
Two days earlier Lang-trained pair Happy Maori and Misscshells fought out the Alabar farms Matchmaker Mile after Miss Bullion and Good Thanks earlier ran the quinella in the Harness Racing International Gold Bracelet.
HUNTERS TRAP REDWOOD
The Hunter family strengthened its connection with the Seelite Windows and Doors Redwood Classic when I See Icy Earl won the 25th anniversary edition at Maryborough.
Emerging trainer-driver Glenn Hunter emulated the deeds of his father Chris when the star of his four-horse Trafalgar stable won the $A50,000 Group 1.
It comes seven years after Hunter Snr won Australasia’s premier standing start event for the babies with Blue Rock and Glenn said following in his dad’s footsteps was the realisation of a dream.
“Dad and I always talk about it (winning the Redwood) at home and when we got him (I See Icy Earl) I said, ‘we might make the Redwood with this one’,” Glenn said.
“That was always his goal, as soon as he set foot on the property so it’s very exciting.”
The son of Earl accomplished Hunter’s ambition when he sprint-laned to victory in the 2180-metre event.
It was just the second win of I See Icy Earl’s 10-start career, but came as anything but a surprise following a slashing second to Chateau De Ville in the Group 1 Vicbred Super Series Final at his final Redwood lead-up.
A quick beginning saw him hold a prominent spot early before being gifted the plum position behind Paige Olivia when Me Neither popped off the pegs at the 1100m.
That afforded I See Icy Earl the first look at the sprint lane, although Hunter’s fear was Paige Olivia wouldn’t carry him there when she punctured rounding the home bend.
I See Icy Earl was dragged back to last of a bunched main division early in the straight but sprinted impressively once the gap came to first run down The Bohemian and then hold off Chateau De Ville.
At the line the $11 chance had 3.2m to spare over Chateau De Ville ($2.50 fav), who turned in a monster effort after costing himself 40m with an early gallop, with Kiwi import The Bohemian ($3.40) less than a metre away.
The mile rate was 2:08.1, which consisted of 31.7, 32.4, 30.1 and 31.8 quarters.
“I thought I’d done the wrong thing (staying on the pegs), I thought I was going to get carted too far back, but as it turned out the ones outside the leader weren’t going too much better than it,” Hunter said.
“That was good because, for a little two-year-old trotter, he can put down a pretty quick quarter, especially when he’s driven quietly like that.”
Ineligible for next month’s Tabcorp Australasian Breeders Crown, I See Icy Earl will head to the paddock before being set for a 3YO campaign aimed at returning to Maryborough in 12 months’ time for the Trotters Derby.
Courtesy of Brad Bishop, HRV Media Manager