It was a super night of racing at Tabcorp Park, Melton on Friday with a number of harness features taking place including the major trotting event of the meeting, the $50 000 Group 1 Aldebaran Park Bill Collins Sprint (1720m) where Skyvalley reigned supreme in his first open-age Group 1 victory.
The $1.50 favourite, five-year-old Skyvalley claimed an easy 5.5m victory ahead of stablemate Sundons Gift ($7.00), giving Nagambie-located trainer Chris Lang the quinella and his first win in the event, with Ronerail ($20.00) 1.9m back for third.
Sundons Gift, ridden by Lang on Friday night, has now had a minor placing in the last three successive Bill Collins Sprints – eighth in 2007, third in 2008 and then second this year.
Ridden by Chris Lang Jnr, the son of Muscles Yankee exploded from barrier three in a sensational display of speed, continuing on to break 30 seconds in every quarter, clocking a blistering 1:56.3 second win.
2009 Bill Collins Sprint Results:
Placing |
Horse |
Prizemoney |
Row & Br. |
Trainer |
Driver |
Margin (m) |
| 1 |
SKYVALLEY (NZ) |
$33 750 | Fr3 | C W Lang | C A Lang | - |
| 2 |
SUNDONS GIFT (NZ) |
$7 500 | Sr3 | C W Lang | C W Lang | 5.5 |
| 3 |
RONERAIL |
$5 000 | Fr4 | M A Hughes | J N Quinlan | 7.40 |
| 4 |
EARL OF MOT (NZ) |
$2 500 | Fr5 | L J Justice | L J Justice | 8.70 |
| 5 |
SAVE A SIXPENCE |
$1 240 | Sr4 | G A Lang | G Lang | 9.20 |
| 6 |
DREAM A MOMENT (NZ) |
- | Sr5 | K E Manning | K E Manning | 12.20 |
| 7 |
SPRINGBANK RICHARD (NZ) |
- | Sr2 | P M Williamson | N P Williamson | 12.40 |
| 8 |
ARMED GUARD (NZ) |
- | Fr1 | R A Shinn | N F Shinn | 13.00 |
| 9 |
ACACIA RIDGE |
- | Fr7 | G D Hoban | G D Hoban | 18.00 |
| 10 |
KYVALLEY MAC (NZ) |
- | Fr2 | C W Lang | D K Douglas | 19.00 |
| 11 |
VIVA LA FEVER |
- | Sr1 | R A Graham | B R Gath | 23.20 |
| 12 |
IN PURSUIT (NZ) |
- | Fr6 | M C Marais | M C Marais | 25.80 |
