Freakish Petracca stuns

By Michael Howard (HRV)

The hype machine has reached fever pitch after speed demon Petracca blitzed his rivals with a spectacular 40-metre win, positioning himself as a leading player in this lucrative two-year-old season.

Emma Stewart’s colt by Captaintreacherous out of Lovelist has been closely watched since a stunning first trial and only enhanced his reputation at Tabcorp Park Melton last Saturday night with a powerful win for reinsman Nathan Jack and owners Danny and Jo Zavitsanos.

“He looks a superstar,” was TrotsVision co-host and leading reinsman Anthony Butt’s assessment. “That’s freakish that performance.”

The hit-out was Petracca’s third, having previously won his Bathurst Gold Crown heat and then overcame a difficult draw to power into third in the final.

The IRT Australia Shakamaker Classic always looked a case of how far would he win by, having been backed into a $1.04 favourite and when Jack slid quickly to the front it became a race against the clock.

A 27.1sec final quarter closed out a 55.7sec last half and a 1:54.1 mile race for the short distance, just 0.9 seconds outside of Act Now’s age track record over 1720 metres.

“I’m sure he’s got the potential to be the best (two-year-old I’ve driven), but (I am) not (declaring that) just yet,” Jack told TrotsVision.

“He was just a gem to drive. He’s got great manners. He went to Bathurst and just stood there in front of the whole crowd, nothing worried him. He’s just a natural.”

To read the full story – Simply click on the following link

https://issuu.com/themooraboolnews/docs/mn_2022-04-05/31

in the 5 April 2022 edition
OR
pick up a paper around your town.