Last Friday night, Melton’s Tabcorp Park hosted their first Group 1 feature trotting event of 2010, the $50 000 V L Dullard Cup (2760m) where New Zealand-bred Don King claimed a tight victory.
Trained and driven by Gavin Lang, Don King started the race as the $2 favourite and went on to win just a head in front of Acacia Ridge ($12.20) who led on the outside right until the final meters, with Lang’s other consistent trotter, Save A Sixpence ($4.40) driven by Lang’s son Chris, finishing off the trifecta in third. Save A Sixpence has now placed in five Group 1 finals.
Don King ran a sharp mile rate of 2:04.6 in his first Group 1 victory, a career best for the six-year-old Sundown gelding, and brought his impressive career record to 15 wins from 25 starts, eight from nine this season.
Saturday’s victory has ensured Don King with a spot in the SEW-Eurodrive Inter Dominion Trotting Championship that begins on January 30 at Ballarat, where the talented trotter will come up with top-line rivals including Sundons Gift and Skyvalley.
The other anticipated feature events of the meeting were the $25 000 Harness Breeders VIC Gold Chalice, $20 000 SEW-Eurodrive New Year Sprint and the $20 000 Harness Breeders VIC Richmond Lass. The Wayne Potter-trained Morgan Abby took out the Gold Chalice, securing her third win from four starts this season.
2010 V L Dullard Trotters Cup Final Results:
Placing |
Horse |
Prizemoney |
Row & Br |
Trainer |
Driver |
Margin (m) |
| 1 |
DON KING (NZ) |
$33 750 | Fr3 | G A Lang | G Lang | - |
| 2 |
ACACIA RIDGE |
$7 500 | Fr6 | G D Hoban | G D Hoban | HD |
| 3 |
SAVE A SIXPENCE |
$5 000 | Fr4 | G A Lang | C W Lang | 3.50 |
| 4 |
HEYZEAL (NZ) |
$2 500 | Sr5 | D F Braun | G R Sugars | 6.50 |
| 5 |
EARL OF MOT (NZ) |
$1 250 | Fr1 | L J Justice | L J Justice | 10.20 |
| 6 |
RONERAIL |
- | Sr6 | M A Huges | J N Quinlan | 10.20 |
| 7 |
ARMED GUARD (NZ) |
- | Sr4 | R A Shinn | C N Shinn | 11.20 |
| 8 |
DREAM A MOMENT (NZ) |
- | Fr2 | K E Manning | K E Manning | 11.40 |
| 9 |
SUNSET TRUSCOTT |
- | Sr2 | C N Angove | N L Milne | 11.90 |
| 10 |
LA MOSCA |
- | Fr5 | G J Bailey | R A Payne | 13.50 |
| 11 |
RED SAMURAI |
- | Sr7 | C L Welsh | C L Welsh | 17.00 |
| 12 |
BETE NOIRE |
- | Sr1 | M L Manning | M L Manning | 17.10 |
| 13 |
BELEVA |
- | Sr3 | R B Conroy | A M Conroy | 28.90 |
