By Michael Howard (HRV)<\/p>\n
On the doorstep of some of Australia\u2019s greatest pacing crowns was there a changing of the guard at Tabcorp Park Melton on Saturday night?<\/p>\n
While Lochinvar Art disappointed in fading to ninth in the second start of his comeback campaign, Honolua Bay only emboldened his reputation with an audacious front-running display.<\/p>\n
In the shadows of the October 8 Victoria Cup and Victorian Inter Dominion that\u00a0follows, the lightly-raced five-year-old produced an eighth consecutive win since crossing to Emma Stewart\u2019s camp.<\/p>\n
On Saturday night he\u00a0advanced to the front in the TAB Minuteman Free For All and ran the chasers off their legs with a 55.2-second last half.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt was (impressive) and I still think there\u2019s more improvement in him yet,\u201d reinsman Mark Pitt said.<\/p>\n
Pitt didn\u2019t waste time injecting Honolua Bay into the race, critically advancing from a wider back row gate to slide into the running line ahead of Lochinvar Art and then compounding that advantage by working to the front with a lap-and-a-half to run.<\/p>\n
Jack Laugher on Torrid Saint was happy to cede the lead and then soon after Nathan Jack propelled Lochinvar Art to outside the leader, leaving the two big guns primed to battle in front.<\/p>\n
But Lochinvar Art\u2019s challenge was spent before the final turn and Honolua Bay was able to hold the pegline advances of Torrid Saint and Tango Tara to score by a length in a 1:53.8 mile rate.<\/p>\n
\u201cI was a little worried about Torrid Saint being on my back, but once I really shook him up he pulled right away,\u201d Pitt said.<\/p>\n
The race was the second to carry a Golden Ticket, which provides direct entry to this year\u2019s Victorian Inter Dominion heats, which kick\u00a0off on November 26 at Ballarat.\u00a0The first pacing Golden Ticket race \u2013 the Westburn Grant Free For All \u2013 was also won by Honolua Bay.<\/p>\n
\u201cTo be able to win a second Golden Ticket is just incredible. It\u2019s always good to win one, but when you\u2019ve got two you know you\u2019ve got a spot,\u201d Pitt said.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe\u2019ll have a nice lead up into it and as the heats go on I\u2019m sure he\u2019ll get better for the final.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m super excited. I never thought I\u2019d see this day. Since I\u2019ve been a kid I\u2019ve always wanted to have this opportunity and Emma (Stewart) and Clayton (Tonkin), and Bill and Anne (Anderson) have given me that opportunity and I\u2019m very grateful for it.\u201d<\/p>\n
While there was delight in the Honolua Bay camp it was a different story for Lochinvar Art, who faded in his second start back from a long lay-off, finishing eighth and some 18 metres off the winner.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
By Michael Howard (HRV) On the doorstep of some of Australia\u2019s greatest pacing crowns was there a changing of the guard at Tabcorp Park Melton on Saturday night? While Lochinvar Art disappointed in fading to ninth in the second start of his comeback campaign, Honolua Bay only emboldened his reputation with an audacious front-running display. […]<\/p>\n