Gold Cup glory

IT WAS a case of ninth time luck for mare Eastbro Chrissy as she held off a fast finishing Michaywey to secure her first win of 2025.

Eastbro Chrissy had not secured a win in 2025 in her previous eight outings but the Rebecca East trained pacer, who was incidentally one of the main chances named by Mount Gambier Harness Racing Club president Neil Shepherd in the lead up to the club’s premier event, showed great grit to take out the $18,000 Matthews Petroleum Pacing Gold Cup.

East reflected on the win with harness racing writer Paul Courts.

“It was a great win,” East said. “I was pretty confident before the race as she has been going well, it was just whether she could get the distance.

“In the end she got the trip really well and came away with the win.”

Jensville, another Shepherd tip, set the pace with Eastbro Chrissy, driven by Jackie Barker, settling mid field before making her run in the home straight on the final lap to power to the half head victory.

Jensville finished third a metre further back in 2:05.7 over 2590 metres.

“She got a little keen in the middle stages, but it wasn’t a worry in the end,” East said. “Jackie put in a 10 out of 10 drive and made all the right moves.

“She’s gone straight to a paddock now and will have about six weeks off.

“She has done a really good job this preparation and I think she can go further, so a break will do her good.”

For Barker it was a dream come true to win a race where her family has built such a rich history with her grandfather and father both having their names on the Gold Cup honour roll.