Mighty haul for trainer

By Tim O’Connor (HRV)

A dominant and brilliant training display saw Emma Stewart record eight wins from ten races on the card last Saturday night.

The Cardigan horsewoman set the foundations for another golden Group 1 meeting however, fell just short of equaling her record of nine winners at a single race meeting when she claimed seven of the eight Breeders Crown semi-finals and, took out the Breeders Crown Championship for four-year-old mares with Fiamma.

Stewart is poised to dominate this weekend’s Breeders Crown pacing finals, and perhaps the most exciting stoush will be the one between her unbeaten two-year-old fillies Very Pretty and Draw A Dream.

Very Pretty stretched her unbeaten record to four with an all-the-way victory in the first semi-final for driver Mark Pitt before Draw A Dream extended her’s to six after a dominant display in the second qualifier.

Pitt was full of compliments for the star daughter of American Ideal, who provided him with one of six winners for the evening.

“She’s a lovely filly,” Pitt said.

“Every time she steps out, she seems to get a little bit better. Even with her racing manners, she seems a lot better.”

Very Pretty zipped home in slashing final quarter of 26.3.

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Draw A Dream upped the pace in the third section of the last mile. With Rickie Alchin’s top filly Lux Aeterna up on her outside, Draw A Dream put the foot down with a third quarter of 26.9 before forging clear in the home straight to win by more than eight metres over stablemate Eureka Jo.

“It’s going to be a great race in the final,” Draw A Dream’s driver David Moran said.

Draw A Dream is looking for a rare feature double in her first season of racing after taking out September’s Vicbred Super Series Final.

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Timmy Rictor was brilliant from the front in the first semi-final for the two-year-old colts and geldings, leading and dashing home in a rapid 26.3 last quarter to win by nearly 8m over stablemate Some American.

After dominating both qualifiers, Moran felt his charge was a great chance in this weekend’s Group 1 showdown.

“Obviously barrier draws play a big part with some of these really nice two-year-olds, but I think he definitely is,” Moran said.

“He seems to have all the attributes of a nice horse. He’s got terrific gate speed and he’s got a fair bit of bottom to him, so hopefully luck comes our way.”

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Major Delight produced a brilliant death seat success in her semi-final for three-year-old fillies and will likely start favourite in her bid for back-to-back Breeders Crown titles.

Stablemate Joyful sat parked for the last lap and snuck home for a narrow victory in the division’s other showdown on Saturday night.

The first six horses over the line in each semi-final – as well as the fastest seventh place-getter – now progress to the finals this Saturday.

Four pacing and four trotting features will be held at Melton Entertainment Park this Saturday 25 November.