Aussie News - August 25

Major Moth makes it three in a row, the Aardies impress across the Tasman and Callmethebreeze not returning to NZ  are all covered in today's Aussie News.

By Adam Hamilton

Emerging IRT New Zealand Trotting Cup contender Major Moth took his unbeaten record to three runs for Jason Grimson at Menangle last night.

The six-year-old worked to the front in the 2300m free-for-all and dictated terms before driver Jack Callaghan cut him loose rounding the bend and opened up a huge lead,

Outstanding young WA pacer Never Ending emerged from the pack and pulled plenty of ground off Major Moth late, but the latter still won by 3.7m in a 1min53.2sec mile rate.

Grimson said Major Moth would not head to the $150,000 Group 1 Len Smith on Saturday week where his rivals will include proven Victorian stars Catch A Wave and Auckland Cup winner Better Eclipse.

While taking nothing away from Major Moth, the run of the race was Never Ending.

Having his first start at Menangle, Never Ending drew the outside and was taken back to last by driver Gary Hall Jr.

He was clocked to run his last mile in 1min52.4sec with closing splits of 53.4 and 26.2sec.

“It doesn’t look as bad on the replay, but I really had to check him around the trouble at the top of the home corner … we went from two or three wide to five and six wide in a few strides, but he didn’t skip a beat and really motored home,” Hall Jr said.

“It’s as good a feeling I’ve had on a horse in the final stages of a race since Quinny.”

Never Ending’s run saw his odds for Saturday week’s $2.1mil TAB Eureka slashed from $4 to $2.50.

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Former NZ Oaks winner Aardiebytheseaside kept her perfect Aussie record intact with her most significant win so far at Gloucester Park last Friday night.

After beating her own sex at her first four runs for Team Bond in WA, Aardiebytheseaside has beaten the boys at her past two.

But last Friday she stepped into “proper” free-for-all class and made the most of barrier one to lead throughout in the $50,000 Group 3 August 3.

It was her 14th win from just 27 starts and took her earnings past $360,000.

The four-year-old is building towards a big November, headed by the $450,000 Group 1 WA Pacing Cup on November 8 and then back to her own sex for the $150,000 Mares’ Classic a week later.

Canadian owner Mike Tanev’s big weekend continued when Aardies Express blew her rivals away in the Ranji Bill Stakes at Menangle.

The Jason Grimson-trained mare worked to the front and powered clear to win by almost 14m in a 1min53.9sec mile rate for 2300m, dashing home in 52.8 and 26sec flat.

It was her 18th win from just 26 starts and took her Aussie record to five wins, a second and a fourth from just six runs.

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Great Southern Star winner Callmethebreeze won’t be returning to New Zealand in November.

And new trainer Andy Gath said the French import would not tackle the Inter Dominion, either.

“There is no travel on the radar, not for the rest of this year at least,” Gath said.

“I spoke to Pat (Driscoll) and he’s happy to stay home and go to a race like the Bill Collins Mile and focus on the big races here (Victoria) early next year.”

Callmethebreeze, who hasn’t raced since finishing second in the TAB Trot on April 12 at Cambridge, will trial at Melton on Monday.

“If he comes through that as we hope, I’ll race him next Saturday night,” Gath said.

Gath’s new relationship with Driscoll started in winning style when star mare Im Ready Jet returned from a spell with a sharp Melton win last night.

Im Ready Jet had the one-one sit and held off another star mare Queen Elida, to win well.

“They’re certainly two lovely trotters to have join the stable,” Gath said.

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Former Miracle Mile winner Catch A Wave will cap his preparation for another Menangle raid when he lines up at Melton next Saturday night.

Trainer Andy Gath has just moved on from a first-up flop when Catch A Wave overraced and didn’t finish off his race.

“For some reason, he never seems to fire first-up,” he said. “We’ve all seen this movie before with him. He’ll put in a run like that and be back to his best next time out. I’m hoping that’s the case.

“All his big wins have come when he’s backed-up within a week, so he’ll run this week and go straight to Sydney.”

Saturday week’s $150,000 Group 1 Len Smith Mile looms as a strong race with Jess Tubbs’ Auckland Cup winner Better Eclipse and a string of Jason Grimson stars, headed by Major Moth, also bound for the race.

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Some of Australia’s top juveniles step-out in a strong set of Vicbred heats at Bendigo on Wednesday.

Recent Protostar runner-up The Highlight Reel headlines the eight heats.

Much interest will also be in Hesitate, who smashed the clock late when sixth in the Protostar at Albion Park on July 27.

As usual, the powerhouse Emma Stewart and Clayton Tonkin stables has a dominant role with The Highlight Reel heading 15 runners across the eight qualifiers.

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Star mare Major Delight capped her preparation for the $2.1mil TAB Eureka when she posted her 22nd win from just 27 starts at Melton last night.

Despite doing plenty of early work, the Emma Stewart-trained four-year-old never looked in danger with young NSW driver Ashleigh Delosa in the bike.

Early in the night, Captain Hammerhead staked his claim for a last-minute TAB Eureka berth with a stunning first-up win.

Trained by David Moran and driven by Nathan Jack, Captain Hammerhead did the work outside the leader and favourite The Lost Storm before crushing him and dashing clear to win by almost 18m.

His mile rate was a scorching 1min52.4sec for the 2240m trip.

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Exciting young trotter Derek The Jet stretched his unbeaten record to five races when he landed a betting plunge in the $30,000 Group 3 Holmfield at Melton last night.

First-up since April 20, the Nathan Jack-trained son of Volstead ran to the front from gate two and beat a brave Pinnie by 2.9m in a 1min57sec mile rate for 1720m.