I See Icy Earl ($11.00) edged out race favourite Chateau De Ville by getting a strong start, earning the plum position behind Paige Olivia. Me Neither dropped off the pegs at 1100m, giving I See Icy Earl the first glimpse at the sprint lane. Though the horse was dragged back to the main division at the start of the straight, he managed to move to the head of the pack after an impressive sprint. In the end, I see Icy Earl finished with 3.2m to spare over second place finisher Chateau De Ville, who had a stronger finish than expected after a costly early gallop.

2010 Redwood Classic Results:

Adding to the fun of the harness racing weekend was the Final of the Victoria Trotters Derby. Jingling Silver trotted her way into the history books by becoming the third filly in the past 20 runnings to win the Derby.  The win also capped off a big carnival for trainer/driver CW Lang as it marked his fourth win of the day.

Bakas Cobber shot out of the gates, leading the racing at 50m out. Though, My High Expectations and Jingling Silver were close behind and in the end, Bakas Cobber couldn’t fight off the charge of these two horses. In the finishing metres of the race, My High Expectations took the lead, though was quickly overtaken by the determined Jingling Silver.

Miami H ($1.50) was the race favourite, but threw away his chances after a gallop at the start that cost him around 30m. Rostevarren ($4.80) also had a disappointing day finishing just one ahead of the final position.

The two races capped off a big harness racing weekend as it marked the end of the Redwood Carnival. Though, the upcoming week will be packed full of more trotting action, so be sure to get to SportsBet to take a punt on the upcoming harness racing action.

2010 Victoria Trotters Derby Results:

The first Group 1 feature took place on Friday June 11, when Tabcorp Park in Victoria hosted the $50,000 Group 1 Victoria Trotters Oaks. A stunning field of three-year-old fillies took to the track, but it was the pronounced $1.60 favourite Kahdon who took out the first prize with an emphatic 7.4m win ahead of Jingling Silver ($24) and Shes Commando ($18.50; the placegetters proving there is great money to be made on backing the consistent performing roughies with Place bets through SportsBet.

The next Group 1 race to take place in June was the $10,000 SA Trotting Oaks, another three-year-olds feature, at Globe Derby on Saturday June 19. Improving filly Amelia Darling was the winner, defeating a classy field of rivals including runner-up Landoras Pearl and Shes Commando. The winner had drawn ideally with the front row barrier one, showing that with the smaller fields barrier position is important when selecting which trotter to back at SportsBet.

One final Group 1 trotting event then finished off the month, the $15,000 SA Trotters Derby on Saturday June 26. Premier trainer-driver Lance Justice took out the Derby with the $1.80 favourite Tuhimata Glass, the gelding securing a narrow half-neck victory ahead of Backas Cobber ($4.40). The top two finishers headed the betting markets at SportsBet prior to the race, so sometimes it is worth sticking with the favourite based on their great form.

This month plenty more group trotting action is set to take place, with the first Group 1 July race already decided. On Friday July 2, Tabcorp Park held the $50,000 Group 1 Vicbred Super Series Final for two-year-olds, won by consistent Conch Deville gelding Chateau De Ville. The winner was driven by one of the country’s leading reinsman Gavin Lang, proving that with the juvenile features the experience of a champion driver goes a long way and this should be considered when putting your money on a horse at SportsBet.

Two more Group 1 trot races are still set to play out this month, with the harness track at Maryborough in Victoria hosting the $50,000 Group 1 The Redwood Classic for two-year-olds and the $75,000 Group 1 Victoria Trotters Derby Final for three-year-olds on a bumper night of racing on the 18^th.

The 2010 Australian Harness Racing Calendar has all the details of the trot and pacing features scheduled for the remainder of the season, so check it out to start making your selections.

If you want to bet on these great trot races, don’t! Not until you take five minutes to sign up at SportsBet. They have far better odds than the TAB and if you bet anywhere else you will be throwing your profit away!

The first major event was the $50,000 Group 1 Vicbred Super Series 3YO Trotters Final on Friday May 7 at Victoria’s Tabcorp Park. Earl gelding Mister Castleton took out the race after starting at $10.40 odds, holding off Backas Cobber by 1.3m with roughie Jingling Silver in third. The hot favourite, the Ross Graham-trained Rostevarren ran a well beaten sixth.

The next group trotting races were held at Ballarat Tabcorp Park the following weekend on Friday May 14. The first was the $50,000 Group 1 Vicbred Super Series 4YO Trotters Final where premier trainer-driver Chris Lang took out the quinella. Lang drove the hot favourite Let Me Thru ($1.60) to a classy 5.4m win ahead of stablemate, $29.80 outisder Happy Maori, with Zanzi Bromac a distant third.

Also held on the night was the $20,000 Group 3 Knight Pistol Trotters Cup where Muscles Yankee gelding Lord Of The Gym, a half brother to earlier winner Le Me Thru, claimed victory over Lance Justice’s Earl Of Mot with Viva La Fever finishing off the trifecta. Odds-on favourite Ronerail gave up his early lead and faded to finish nearly 19m from the winner in eighth place.

The third Group 1 trotting event for the month took place at Harold Park on Friday the 21^st, when three-year-old filly Good Thanks gave reinsman Chris Lang another elite level win taking out the $20,000 Group 1 NSW Trotters Oaks.

The great trotting action continued right up to the final Friday night of the month when the $20,000 Group 1 NSW Trotters Derby at Harold Park was taken out by three-year-old gelding Backas Cobber, who had run second to Mister Castleton in the Vicbred Super Series 3YO Trotters Final at the start of the month, ahead of Bellingham with $1.80 favourite My High Expectations finishing third in the small seven-horse field.

Bookmark this site and return to see a detailed preview of the feature trots races in June.

The best place for all your trots betting is at online bookmaker IASbet who have generous odds open on all of Australia’s harness races.

Red Samurai ($17.90) beat home Ronerail ($4.90) by 3.4m with Armed Guard ($5.60) just over 1.5m back in third.

Acacia Ridge, who started the race as the warm $2.70 favourite, started well but had a disappointing finish coming in last. The Gary Hoban-trained gelding will be stood down for two weeks following a vets’ examination after the race.

In the final lap as they turned out of the straight Red Samurai sat dead last with 800m left to travel. Dream A Moment was the leader at the bell a head in front of Acacia Ridge.

On the back straight with 400m to go the field bunched closer together ready for the final sprint.

Dream A Moment and Acacia Ridge still held the lead, but Ronerail came from the back of the pack to race out three wide and move up quickly towards the front.

Into the final straight Ronerail loomed up and got their head in front of Acacia Ridge, but Red Samurai, who until the final 200m was sitting at the tail end of the field, began to accelerate chasing the lead.

Red Samurai came from dead last to claim victory in a thrilling final few meters

Acacia Ridge faded in the closing stages and broke half way up the straight, as Red Samurai came from last to claim victory ahead of Ronerail with Armed Guard holding on for third.

A son of boom sire Sundon, Red Samurai has now claimed victory in 18 of his 85 career starts for prizemoney of over $122, 000.

2010 Bruce Skeggs Trotters Cup Results:

Armed Guard ($5) defeated Maori’s Idol Memorial third placegetter Look Here Bloke ($6.90) by 2.6m with Lord Of The Gym ($8.7) a further 5.9m back in third.

It was a disappointing finish for trainer driver Geoff Webster and his odds-on favourite Millburn Michael ($3.10) who was a well-beaten sixth after being held up at the start and unable to make up the ground.

The $10, 000 Gunbower Trotters Cup (2530m) was the other feature trotting event run over the weekend, won by classy mare Sharendoo Lass ($8.60) in an all-the-way win at Echuca on Sunday.

The six-year-old Wind Cries Maori mare made the most of their inside draw and beat home the Chris Lang-trained and driven Kyvalley Mirage ($6.40) by 6.4m with roughie Ollie Nova ($41) a fast finishing third.

Again it was an unlucky finish for the pre-race favourite with Thepowerofhealing ($1.8) coming in fourth after being forced to race out wide.

The brilliant Sundons Gift started the 2010 Maori’s Idol Memorial as the clear favourite at $1.30 and didn’t disappoint once again as he beat home stablemate Kyvalley Mac ($21.40) by 3.7m, giving Lang the quinella.

Long-priced outsider Look Here Bloke ($75.60) finished a further 2.9m back in a desperate fight for third, beating Acacia Ridge ($28.10) by a fraction to the line.

The win gave dual Inter Dominion champion Sundons Gift back-to-back success in the Maori’s Idol Memorial

The win gave dual Inter Dominion champion Sundons Gift back-to-back success in the Maori’s Idol Memorial after he claimed victory there last year.

After starting from a poor back row barrier, eight-year-old Sundons Gift and Lang worked their way up the field and were sitting three wide and one back at the bell. They sat on the back of Joe Bro, installed as the $7.70 second favourite, and had a dream run.

While Joe Bro faded to finish sixth 8.7m back from the winner, with 300m to go Sundons Gift charged into the lead, sailing past his rivals for the win.

Sundons Gift ran a mile rate of 2:00.3 in Friday night’s victory, which was his 31^st win from 59 career starts, his fifth in succession. The impressive Sundon gelding has now earned over $830, 670 in prizemoney making him the third highest earning trotter in Australasia.

Sundons Gift was ridden by Lang’s son Chris Jnr. who boasts an unbeaten record driving the star, having won eight from eight.

2010 Maoris Idol Memorial Results:

Sundons Gift is now a six-time Group 1 winner following his win in the Sunnyfield Trotters Mile

Brilliant eight-year-old trotter Sundons Gift claimed another impressive feature when he took out the 2010 Sunnyfield Trotters Mile, giving the Chris Lang trained and driven son of Sundon his 30^th career victory from 58 starts and his sixth Group 1 success.

Sundons Gift started the race as the hot $1.10 favourite and led throughout the 1609m mobile start sprint after jumping well from barrier three. The classy Inter Dominion champion held strong to defeat local mare Misschells ($25.30), who had a great run behind the leader all the way, by 3.6m.

It was a photo finish for third with the highly seeded Cillas Earl ($7) 7m back from the winner after racing out wide, just a fraction in front of long priced roughie La Mosca ($108) only 0.1m further back.

Sundons Gift narrowly missed out on the Australian mile record of 1:56.2, running a sharp 1:56.3.

2010 NSW Sunnyfield Trotters Mile Results:

Starting as the $3.90 favourite, the Peter Manning-trained Joe Bro beat home the Geoff Webster trained and driven Millburn Michael ($4.30) by a mere head with Red Samurai ($16.20) over 5m back for third.

It was a disappointing finish for some of the other fancied elects in the Cup including Dream A Moment ($7.50) in eighth, Earl Of Mot ($5.60) in ninth and Bete Noire ($8.60) who finished dead last. Bete Noire surprised many after starting badly and tiring terribly leading to a vets’ examination after the race.

Runner-up Milburn Michael was the leader at the bell despite a slow start. At the 800m mark Millburn Michael held the lead by a metre while Joe Bro was sitting out three wide. After a 33.3 second quarter, the eventual winner loomed up alongside Millburn Michael. The pair ran side by side throughout the 29.4 third quarter before Joe Bro went into the lead going into the home straight.

Millburn Michael pulled out all he had, putting the pressure on Joe Bro to maintain the lead. Although Millburn Michael’s last burst of acceleration shortened the winning margin to just a head, Joe Bro held onto the lead long enough to take out the title.

The fourth quarter was run in 29.1 and the mile rate was a solid 2:05.3.

The winning son of Sundon has now won eight of their 15 career starts for just over $57, 000 in prizemoney.

The other feature harness race at the meeting was the Terang & District Co-op Pacing Cup won by Ti Vogliobene ($9) 1.7m ahead of the $4.60 favourite Ohoka Nevada.

Also held over the weekend was the $10 000 Wangaratta Trotters Cup at Shepparton on Sunday where seven-year-old mare Thepowerofhealing claimed victory.

2010 Terang Trotters Cup Results:

Trained and driven by Chris Lang, last year’s winner Sundons Gift outclassed his rivals once again as the $1.60 favourite beat home shock second placegetter, Queensland-trained Kasyanov ($147) by an easy 9.5m with Lang’s other runner Skyvalley ($5.50) finishing off the trifecta a further 3.8m back.

Improving trotter Cillas Earl ($38) was a close fourth just ahead of Acacia Ridge ($18.70) in fifth.

Sundons Gift showed sensational speed from barrier one to take the lead early, running a first quarter of 29.7s. The third pre-race favourite, Gavin Lang’s Don King ($9.60) was in second place for the first quarter, but went to three wide by the middle before eventually tailing off to finish seventh.

After a 31.8s second quarter, Sundons Gift still held a 3m lead from Don King while eventual second-placegetter Kasyanov moved to the inside.

Running 28.9s over the third quarter Sundons Gift increased his lead on the final turn, running clear from the pack as Don King tiered, slipping back and making way for Kasyanov to move up to second place.

As the leader kept pulling away for a sensational win, his stablemate Skyvalley moved up to third on the outside.

The eight-year-old winning Sundon gelding clocked a smart mile rate of 2:01.0 in his 29^th victory from 57 career starts. The $142 500 in Saturday’s Inter Dominion winnings bought his overall career earnings to $789 673.

With the win Sundons Gift became only the second horse in history to secure back-to-back trotting Inter Dominion Championships, the first since New Zealand runner Pride Of Petite in 1996/1997, and the first Australian bred trotter to achieve the feat.

The victory may have been Sundons Gift’s second, but his trainer went one better as it was Lang’s third successive Inter Dominion win.

Runner-up Kasyanov also made history as the first Queensland trained trotter to not only make the Inter Dominion Grand Final, but place in the top three as well.

The $30 000 Group 2 Inter Dominion Trotting Championship Consolation (2575m) was the other major trotting event at the meeting, won by Ronerail ($2.40) 4.7m ahead of Earl Of Mot ($9.50) with Chris Lang’s Kyvalley Mac ($32.40) in third.

2010 Inter Dominion Trotting Championship Results:

Top trainer Chris Lang took out the quinella with Go Ahead Makemyday ($6) beating home stablemate Ten Commanders ($3.70) by a mere neck, with My Mate Claudy ($14.70) finishing third a distant 17m back.

Go Ahead Makemyday and Ten Commanders were both heat winners leading up to the final.

Chris Lang drove runner-up Ten Commanders who despite a slow start had a good run and was in front on the final turn.

Pre-race favourite, the Michael Marais trained and driven Jacob Oram ($2.20) had a bad start from barrier five but made up ground and was close on the heels of Ten Commanders at the bell.

Ten Commanders still held the lead coming into the home stretch before Go Ahead Makemyday with reinsman Chris Lang Junior made their move on the inside and the stablemates battled head to head down the final metres with Go Ahead Makemyday just pulling away in the end for the win.

The favourite, Jacob Oram dropped off just before the final turn, loosing pace and position to finish a disappointing seventh.

Lang had a sensational weekend, having secured his top two pacers Skyvalley and Sundons Gift in the Inter Dominion Championship final through the semis on Saturday at Ballarat.

The other highlight at the Wedderburn Harness Racing Club’s meeting was the Group 3 Central Victorian Pacing Championship Final, won by Gavin Lang’s $1.90 favourite Im Outtahere.

2010 Central Victorian Trotting Championship Results: