Gath says the time is now for Majestuoso
Gath says the time is now for Majestuoso by Adam Hamilton Majestuoso winning at Tabcorp Park Image: Stuart McCormick
While harness racing’s biggest names will lock horns at the Sunshine Sprint meeting in Brisbane on Saturday night, the next big thing in trotting could be almost 2000 kilometres away in Geelong. Andy Gath has been Australia’s trotting ‘King in recent years, largely through the deeds of the mighty Tornado Valley, but he’s openly declared emerging stablemate Majestuoso as the heir apparent. Majestuoso returns at Geelong to start the most important campaign of his career, one which will go a long to showing whether Gath’s hopes, expectations and faith in him are justified.
Champion trotter Tornado Valley on target to break $1m barrier
Champion trotter Tornado Valley on target to break $1m barrier by Adam Hamilton Kate Gath and Tornado Valley Image: Ashlea Brennan
Champion trotter Tornado Valley s first trip down the highway to Geelong could be a historic one.
The 10-time Group 1 winner and former Inter Dominion champion is poised to smash through the $1 million stakemoney barrier if he wins the Group 3 Sundons Gift Trotters’ free-for-all at Geelong’s Beckley Park on Saturday night.
It would make Tornado Valley just the third Aussie-trained trotter to top $1 million in earnings. Sundons Gift ($1,275,264) and Keystone Del ($1,063,560) are the other two. Australasia’s highest earner is the great Lyell Creek, but much of his thumping $2,256,724 was earned during a stint in North America.
Twist And Twirl, the dam of King Of Swing and Bettor Twist, is an Artsplace mare out of Giveitawhirlgirl, by Jenna’s Beach Boy from the fine racemare Impish (1:54.9), by Falcon Seelster from a noted producer in Smarty Pants (1:58.6), by El Patron.
Twist And Twirl won seven races including the Great Northern Oaks and NZ Sires Stakes 3YO Championship, took a record of 1:56 and earned $283,258 and was a top racemare in her own right. She ranks as a sister to the NSW Group winner Feels Like Magic 1:51 ($261,728) and a half-sister to the Blossom Lady winner Bettor Give It 1:57.4 ($138,061), dam of this year’s SA Derby and NSW Breeders Challenge winner Mach Dan 1:51.7 ($204,892).
Pacifico Dream is top three-year-old
A top colt in Victoria this season – he has won eight races and been twice placed in 14 starts for $137,630 – is Pacifico Dream, a close relative of Guaranteed. He gave a taste of his class with a dominant win in the Group 3 VHRC Caduceus 3YO Cup at Melton last Saturday.
Earlier in the season he won the VHRC Sires Classic at Melton and the Central Victorian Pacing Championship at Wedderburn.
Pacifico Dream has a background of blood to back up his claims to further promotion, being by
Mach Three out of the unraced Mint Julep, by Presidential Ball from Australia’s first sub 1:50 mare Jadah Rose 1:49.6 ($465,424).