The Wilsons certainly weren’t left wondering after Tuesday night’s Shepparton meeting.
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They won three of the seven races conducted at the meeting, including a dominant victory by one the most exciting young pacers in the district in Calexico.
The other winners were Alot Like Pendles and the trotter Settle The Bill.
Laura trains and drove Alot Like Pendles and Calexico to impressive wins while hubby Damian prepares and drove Settle The Bill to victory.
Laura produced a perfect drive to win on Alot Like Pendles, who ran away from his rivals at the finish to beat the Tasmyn Potter-driven Hellodarlin and the Mark Watson-prepared Totally Stunning in a trifecta for Goulburn Valley trainers.
Damian also had Settle The Bill poised to win and the Danny Buchea eight-year-old mare made it four wins out of her past seven starts since Wilson took over her training. Prior to that she had won just one race in 57 starts.
But it was Calexico who had trotting fans buzzing loudest after his dominant win, which completed a hat-trick of victories for the three-year-old by the Im Gorgeous stallion Lather Up.
A winner at Shepparton and Wagga at his previous two starts, Calexico raced outside the pacemaker, On The Hunt, in the five-horse field and was too strong for that pacer in the run to the judge.
It was only his eighth career start, which have produced four wins and one placing.
Laura said Calexico potential-wise was one of the best pacers she had trained.
‘‘The breed gets better as it gets older so it’s pretty exciting,’’ Laura said after the win.
While the Wilson team dominated the meeting, other northern Victoria trainers had winners, too.
Echuca’s Faye McEwan won with consistent Chris Alford-driven trotter Watch And Act while Bunbartha trainer Jeremy Quinlan and reinsman Matt Newberry combined to salute with Our Cheeky Devil.
It was Our Cheeky Devil’s 15th career win and it was the 13th time Watch And Act had greeted the judge first.
Skinnydip makes a splash
Shepparton trainer Tayla Nicholson has wasted no time in securing a win with Skinnydip, who saluted in the opening event at the Cranbourne Cup meeting last Saturday night.
The five-year-old Downbytheseaside gelding was having just his second start for Nicholson and 22nd overall, in a career that has so far produced eight wins and three minor placings.
Ace young reinsman Ryan Sanderson had Skinnydip parked on the back of the pacemaker, Corravally Star, throughout the 2080m event and separated out with that pacer to prevail narrowly at the finishing post.
Skinnydip is out of the Art Major mare Perissa, who won nine races. This is her first foal.
Pitt in the groove
Stanhope reinsman Mark Pitt enjoyed a good night in the sulky at the Cranbourne Cup meeting, partnering two winners for trainer Emma Stewart and a second placing in one of the features.
Pitt won on Belboa Rock and Sir Jimmy, and drove the Stewart-trained trotter Harold Smith into second placing to the New Zealander and favourite Oscar Bonavena in the Cranbourne Trotters Cup.
Pitt also weighed in with Mac Dan, who led and ran fourth in the Cranbourne Pacers Cup won by the Queensland superstar Leap To Fame.
Im Bobby goes close
Congupna trainer Eddie Tappe just missed with smart trotter Im Bobby at last Saturday night’s Menangle meeting in NSW.
Despite drawing barrier seven, concession reinsman Declan Murphy was able to lead on the son of Majestic Son but was edged out near the finishing line by the Aldebaran Park bred Aldebaran Jensen, who stalked Im Bobby throughout the 1609m race.
Im Bobby had won at his previous start when he accounted for Aldebaran Acrux and Whats Up Partytime at Melton on January 25.
Whats Up Partytime then went on to win his heat and the final of the Great Southern Star at Melton on Hunter Cup night.
That form was enough for punters to support Im Bobby into a $2.80 favourite at Menangle.
Tappe produced another of his team of trotters, Abbie, to win at last week’s Maryborough meeting with a bold front-running performance.
It was the ninth career win for the Majestic Son seven-year-old mare, who has also clocked up 20 minor placings.
Aiken turns up the heat
Former Avenel trainer David Aiken could have found another smart pacer in Wasa Heat Seeker, who saluted at Menangle last Saturday night.
He’s a six-year-old and was having his sixth start for Aiken and led throughout over the 1609m trip in PB slick 1.51.1 mile rate time, which included a 54.4 last half.
By Sweet Lou, Wasa Heat Seeker has had 40 race starts for 12 wins, nine seconds and three thirds.
Still on patrol
There is an old saying that you are never too old but maybe too lazy.
Pacer River Patrol fits the first description but certainly not the latter.
Trained by St Albans horseman Albert Cefai, River Patrol is a 14-year-old who still knows how to race and is still good enough to win with Chris Alford in the sulky.
He showed that at last week’s Geelong meeting at his 275th career start when he finished too strongly for the pacemaker, Blissfull Lilly, after tracking that pacer throughout the 1710m race.
That he has won 17 races with 35 seconds and an amazing 50 third placings is an extraordinary feat for a pacer that age.
River Patrol had five starts in New Zealand before crossing the Tasman with a record of one win and thee minor placings.
His latest outing was his 260th start for Cefai — all on Victorian tracks.
His ability to finish in the first three an incredible 102 times in his 275-race career, which has amounted to over $163,000 in prizemoney earnings, has certainly been good for his connections
Usyk makes bright start
Euroa horseman David Jack produced an impressive winner on debut at last Friday’s meeting on the Riverina Raceway at Wagga.
Usyk, a two-year-old by the Bettors Delight stallion Ultimate Sniper, didn’t have things go all his own way for Jack, but was still good enough to beat a field of two-year-old debutants in impressive style in a 1.57.0 mile rate time for the 1740m trip.
Punters were well aware of Usyk’s ability and he was sent out a $1.75 chance.
He is out of the Art Major mare Major Kiss, a 13-time winner who had just the one unplaced start in her racing career.
Eliza Hill runs ’em ragged
It was a case of first out first home for consistent pacing mare Eliza Hill, who led throughout at last Sunday’s Swan Hill meeting.
Trained by Coomboona horseman Mark Gledhill, the six-year-old Racing Hill mare notched her seventh career win in style posting a PB 1.54.8 mile rate for the 1750m trip.
Apart from her seven wins, Aliza Hill has 19 minor placings, so boasts a good strike rate of top-three finishes from her 52 career starts, which have produced over $43,000 in prizemoney earnings.
Classic win for Weidenbach
Wahring reinsman Kevin Weidenbach enjoyed a win at the Globe Derby meeting on Monday, partnering the Reece Moore-trained Classic Line to an easy win.
Upcoming meetings
They race again at the Frank Ryan Raceway at Echuca on Sunday evening.
Meetings coming up in Victoria:
Friday: Maryborough (d) Terang (n),
Saturday: Melton (n)
Sunday: Echuca (n)
Tuesday: Shepparton (n)
Wednesday: Stawell (d), Bendigo (n)
Thursday: Ballarat (n)
Friday: Geelong (n)
Saturday: Melton (n)
Sports reporter