LIAM DURKIN
HORSE RACING
By LIAM DURKIN
HUNTLY Castle found its kingdom after winning yesterday’s Bet365 Traralgon Cup.
The five-year-old gelding circled rapidly as the field turned for home in the 1900m race, eventually touching in by a neck to deliver a $70,000 prize pool to Ben and JD Hayes and the team at Lindsay Park Racing Stables, Euroa.
Jumping from barrier five, Huntly Castle began well enough with jockey Jamie Mott on board, and found itself in the middle of the pack in the races early stages.
Geelong trainer Nick Smart had a pair of runners in the Cup, with Silent Command and Single Handed each working across from wider gates as competitors went past the Glenview Park grandstand on the home straight for the first time around.
Huntly Castle was fifth and in a tricky position with 1400m to go. Ballarat gelding Fanciful Toff denied Huntly Castle the chance to break clear, but Mott eventually found an opening and Huntly Castle was able to stoke up at the final turn and make it a mad dash to the finish line.
As the racecaller announced “Mott presents him at the right time”, Huntly Castle put the after burners on in the straight and by the 200m mark it was a three horse race between Huntly Castle, local hope Starspangled Baby and Single Handed who had the inside run.
Huntly Castle however found enough to win, getting in ahead Starspangled Baby, trained at Bundalaguah by Sharyn Trolove.
Starspangled Baby put in a mighty effort considering its $13 starting price, and continued its strong recent form that has seen it now finish second, second and first in its last three starts.
As well as the Cup, the win completed a riding treble for Mott.
With the Traralgon Cup taking centre stage, spectators eyes were glued to the action throughout the entirely of the race.
Those in the grandstand had a great vantage point, while winning jockey Mott was greeted with boisterous cheers from race-goers mingled around the mounting yard as he triumphantly but modestly returned to pats on the back and words of “great ride mate” as he got down from Huntly Castle and made his way into the jockey’s rooms.
Not one to stand on ceremony, a very quick presentation of the Traralgon Cup trophies was presented to Mott and assistant trainer Gary Fennessy by Latrobe Valley Racing Club chairperson Frank Bezzina.
GLENVIEW Park hosted eight other races on Traralgon Cup day.
The track was rated a Good 4 for the entirety of the meeting in what was the biggest day on the Latrobe Valley Racing Club calendar.
The day started well for local trainers, with Blistering ($1.60) winning the Vale Lindsay Cameron 3YO Maiden Plate (1100m) for Moe trainer John Pascoe.
Another local connection had a win in the race following, with Trafalgar jockey Jason Maskiell steering Fivefingerdiscount across the line to be victorious in the Melina Bath MP 4YO+ Maiden Plate (1100m) for Ballarat trainer Patrick Payne.
The win was the first leg of a double for Maskiell, who enjoyed an armchair ride aboard Raid The Bar, a comfortable six-length winner of the RACV Solar Maiden Plate (1900m) for the Trolove stable.
It was something of an omen in the Traralgon Veterinary Clinic 4YO Maiden Plate (1100m), as Mott steered Princess Annalise home for Cranbourne trainer Luke Oliver hours before going on to ride the winner of the Cup.
Mott made it a riding double aboard Spanish Tides in the TR Morning Crew Benchmark 64 Handicap (1430m).
It was a very fitting win for Sale trainer Garry Douch in the Race 7 event, which was named the Vale Allan Douch BM64 Handicap (1900m) after his late brother.
Douch and nine-year-old mare Ally’s Reward rose to the occasion and proved age is no barrier, storming home in the last 200m to take the prize.
Other winners on the program were Imagine Howe (trained by Robbie Griffiths and Matthew de Kock) and Black Opal (trained by John Moloney).
Country Racing will continue in the Latrobe Valley in the lead up to Christmas, with Moe hosting a meeting on Friday, December 17.
