Sugars credits win to trainers

By Michael Howard (HRV)

By contrast to the fillies final, there were few surprises in the colts and geldings at Tabcorp Park Melton last Saturday night.

In fact, everything went to plan for Myrniong driver Greg Sugars and team Sahara Breeze in their $100,000 APG Gold Bullion final, though the reinsman was reluctant to take any credit.

Sugars was amid the early aggression, with Esmeraldar initially crossing him before Sugars advanced Sahara Breeze to the lead and then willingly handed up to Little Miss Lily.

It’s not often you’ll see a $1.30 favourite hand over the lead in a 1720-metre sprint but Sugars had them right where he wanted them and so it would prove in the final straight, with Sahara Breeze working past Little Miss Lily to score by a metre.

“I was the one who had the reins in my hands but full credit has to go to (trainer) Gary and Debbie and (regular driver) Chris Alford, they obviously know this horse far better than what I do and that was their plan beforehand, to see if we could find the fence and take a trail on our main danger,” Sugars said.

“It sometimes can be fraught with danger a little bit; sometimes you might be conceding the race to them. But they had the utmost faith in this horse’s ability to sprint over the final furlong and thought she’d be too quick under those circumstances. Full credit to them, not me.”

Sahara Breeze has now won three of her nine starts.