Lochinvar Art breaks track record to claim Victoria Cup

Anyone who had any lingering doubts Lochinvar Art wasn’t deserving of this title would have changed their mind after the David Moran-trained and driven superstar demolished a field of classy rivals to claim Saturday night’s $300,000 Victoria Cup at Melton.In a track record run Lochinvar Art beat the reigning Miracle Mile and Hunter Cup champion King Of Swing by more than 7 m with the former track record-holder Bling It On a distant third.Lochinvar Art, a $2.20 favourite, rated a blistering 1:51.4 for the 2240 m feature which clipped 0.1 of a second off Bling It On’s track record established winning last year’s Victoria Cup.Lochinvar Art now holds the 1770 m and 2240 m track records at Melton, setting the 1770 m mark of a blistering 1:48.6 in winning the Four Year Old Bonanza in January.As Lochinvar Art cruised past the finishing post Moran raised his arm in a salute to honour the great and late reinsman Gavin Lang who lost a battle with cancer earlier this year.Lochinvar Art was unable to get to the lead in an early hustle at barrier rise and settled midfield in the running line.Moran made his move before the bell lap to eyeball the pacersetter King Of Swing who had taken the lead from stablemate Balraj with 1600 m to run.After racing outside King Of Swing until getting his back when Balraj gave ground on entering the back straight, Moran let Lochinvar Art loose straightening for the run to the judge and he quickly put paid to his rivals.The $171,000 prizemoney took Lochinvar Art’s career earnings to $885,376 with $573,850 of this amount being won in the current season.It was a memorable night for Moran who also claimed the $50,000 Alabar Home Grown Classic for two-year-old fillies on the Emma Stewart-trained Ladies In Red.