Sport
18 February, 2025
Harness racing returns to Laidlaw Park: spots in $20K cup final up for grabs
Stawell to host seven-event card on Wednesday, February 19.
Stawell
From the Sulky
Harness racing returns to Stawell's Laidlaw Park on Wednesday, February 19, with a seven-event card commencing at 1.42pm and concluding with the "lucky last" at 5.08pm.
The highlight of the day is race seven, the first heat of the Ararat Pacing Cup, which leads to a spot in the $20,000 Cup Final on Friday, February 28.
Further heats will be conducted at Bendigo and Cranbourne which should ensure an ultra-competitive field on Ararat's night of nights.
HRV Form Analyst Rob Auber has kindly provided his thoughts on the Cup Heat for our readers:
Peski (10) is a talented pacer when at his best. Couldn't make ground in a much stronger race last start when the pattern was against him. Suited here and will be hard to hold out.
Sometuffluv (4) is a promising pacer with ability, ran very well first up, finishing off strongly late. Fitter and a major chance.
Maxy Wants To Play (11) is very capable and wasn't far away in a strong race last start. A tough draw to overcome but must be respected.
Curyo Gentleman (9) boasts similar form to some of the other major chances and can figure in the finish.
Normandy Nugget (1) is drawn well and can be in this for a long way although up in class. Valiente (8) just needs to find an opening late to threaten.
The best bets for Stawell are in race one The Ninth Wave (8), the best value is race seven with Pesci (10), the best roughie is Anikitos (8) in race two.
If you can't make it trackside, remember all races from Stawell will be streamed live and free on your device at Trots Vision.
Team Wight delight
Great Western's Team Wight outed most punters from the quaddie at Maryborough on Friday afternoon when their four-year-old gelding Maximez trounced his rivals at the juicy odds of 20/1.
Bred and raced by Michelle and husband Craig, Maximez settled mid-field after beginning from gate nine across the 2190m journey.
When asked for an effort, the daughter of Skyvalley NZ and Frances Annie sprinted boldly to defeat Boutika (Jack Laugher) by 4.2 metres with Rocky Valley (John Caldow) coming in third.
Maximez has always shown plenty of ability and being only lightly raced, should go on and add further to his record of three wins and six minors from 15 starts.
Carberry, Bellman win
Maryborough had also raced two days earlier and saw Horsham owner/trainer Rod Carberry win with four-year-old mare Sportsbou in the $6000 Maryborough IGA Pace.
Drawn the extreme outside of the second line, driver Michael Bellman had little option but to allow Sportsbou to settle at the tail of the field, well off the frontrunners, which burnt plenty of petrol in the early stages of the 1690m sprint trip.
As the bell sounded, Sportsbou was eased out to commence a three-wide, solo move, quickly passing half the field and securing cover with half a lap remaining.
Switched four wide by Bellman on straightening, Sportsbou finished full running and scored by a head in a blanket finish with the first six over the line separated by just four metres.
Sportsbou was bred by "Carbs" and Robbie Connelly from their former smart racemare Bou Chard (8 wins, $67K) and is the winner of three from just eleven starts.
Clan double
Maryborough raced again two days later with an all-trotters fixture and the Ainsworth Clan continued their run of luck with a winning double.
Father and son Barry and Ashley Ainsworth combined to score with eight-year-old mare Baarlinee in the Aldebaran Park Trot over the 1690m sprint distance.
Drawn wide in gate six, Baalinee showed plenty of toe to find the lead then kept them all chasing.
Trotting faultlessly throughout, the mare was untroubled to post her ninth career victory and will look to add another at Stawell on Wednesday.
A second eight-year-old mare from Moryiesk, My Darling Dancer, made it a running double for the Ainsworths with a narrow victory in the Redpath Tyre & Battery Pace.
Drawn inside the second row at the start, My Darling Dancer raced three back the pegs for the first lap then found clean air with 500m to go and made ground to be challenging over the final stages.
The Dancer proved strongest at the finish and scored by a head in 1:56.4.
It was her fourth career victory and a proud moment for her owner, trainer and driver Ashley.
They're off!
Stawell (day) Wednesday, February 19;
Swan Hill (night) Monday, February 24;
Mt. Gambier (night) Tuesday, February 25;
Charlton (day) Wednesday, February 26; and
Ararat (night) Cups Meeting, Friday, February 28.