On Friday night In Pursuit won the $12 000 Weirs St Arnaud Supa IGA Trotters Cup (2760m) at Tabcorp Park Melton in a blitzing display of talent.
The brilliant squaregaiter In Pursuit ($7.90) followed up his excellent win in the Group 3 Chris Howe Trotters Cup last start by claiming victory again ahead of an elite field in 3:32.7.
The bay gelding (by Monarchy out of Going Alone) defeated the $2.30 favourite Don King, ridden by Daryl Douglas, by 11.8m with Save A Sixpence and Graeme Lang a further four meters back in third.
In Pursuit’s trainer Michael Marais now plans to take his rapidly improving trotter to the Victoria Cup Carnival where In Pursuit will come up against star trotter Skyvalley.
The other feature race of the night was the St Arnaud Sporting Cub Pacing Cup (2760m) won by the up-and-coming Victorian harness star Jaccka Clive. The David Aiken-trained winner went out as the clear favourite at $2.40 and proved why by defeating Romeo Castle by 6.2m with Harry Walton in third.
Weirs St Arnaud Supa IGA Trotters Cup Results:
Place |
Horse |
Prizemoney |
Row & Br. |
Trainer |
Driver |
Margin (m) |
| 1 |
IN PURSUIT (NZ) |
$8100 | Fr1 | M C Marais | M C Marais | - |
| 2 |
DON KING (NZ) |
$1800 | Fr3 | G A Lang | D K Douglas | 11.80 |
| 3 |
SAVE A SIXPENCE |
$1200 | Fr1 | G A Lang | G A Lang | 15.80 |
| 4 |
RETAINED |
$600 | Fr1 | J D Justice | J D Justice | 20.40 |
| 5 |
EARL OF MOT (NZ) |
$300 | Fr1 | L J Justice | L J Justice | 24.50 |
| 6 |
AFRITI |
- | Fr5 | K L Tippet | K L Tippet | 27.40 |
| 7 |
DANNY BOUCHEA |
- | Fr2 | N Youngson | N Youngson | 27.70 |
| 8 |
MAIN ARTERY |
- | Fr6 | R R Sugars | R R Sugars | 27.90 |
| 9 |
PEPPERELL DANCER |
- | Fr4 | D J Woolcock | D J Woolcock | 31.70 |
| 10 |
SPEEDY ATOM |
- | Fr7 | K L Tippet | J J Caldow | 44.00 |
| 11 |
GENTLEMANS HONOUR |
- | Fr2 | M Calaz | G R Sugars | 73.80 |
| 12 |
SHIRAZ CABERNET |
- | Fr3 | J L Douglas | G F Douglas | 84.60 |
| 13 |
WESTWOOD CASTLETON (NZ) |
- | Sr1 | C W Lang | C A Lang | 248.30 |