Aussie News with Adam Hamilton

JUST a week after winning the Miracle Mile, Luke McCarthy and Craig Cross were back dominating again at Menangle.

They blitzed the middle of the card, winning five successive races with: Sociable, Better Enforce, Cash N Flow, Flingandwingit and Molly Kelly.

McCarthy then made it a staggering six wins on the nine race card when he teamed with trainer Peter Russo to win the last race with No Apachemee.

The major win of the night for McCarthy and Cross came with Cash N Flow in the appropriately-named Group 3 King Of Swing free-for-all.

The former All Stars’ pacer enjoyed a drop back in grade from the Miracle Mile qualifiers and thrashed a handy field, running the mile in 1min49.8sec and powering away after finding the lead after 400m to win by 12m.

“It looked a good race for him, even though he had the wide draw,” McCarthy said. “He’s just that bit below our best open-class horses, but when he’s in the right sort of race, he’s just too good for them.”

Despite a 26.3sec opening quarter and slick 54.6sec first half, Cash N Flow still packed a 26.8sec closing quarter to win as he liked.

Former classy Kiwi mare Sociable, having just her second run for the stable, looked good leading throughout to win in a 1min52.3sec mile.

While Ladyship Mile runner-up Better Enforce did it easily to win the fourth race by 5.6m in a 1min51.2sec mile.

Promising trotter Flingandwingit enjoyed a gun run before easily winning the Group 3 4YO Trotters Foundation final in a 1min59.9sec mile rate for 2300m.

Former top juvenile filly Molly Kelly made it three wins from as many runs for Cross and McCarthy when she led throughout to win the seventh race in a 1min52.9sec mile.

** ** ** **

LOCAL pin-up pacer Ryley Major won Tasmania’s biggest race, the $75,000 Group 2 Tasmania Cup in Hobart last night.

There’s no doubting he was the best horse in the race, but a 30m backmark in the 2579m feature saw him start an easing $3 favourite.

Victorian raider Im Sir Blake beat Ryley Major in the qualifying heat two week’s earlier and was heavily-backed to do it again, but he ruined his hopes by galloping out of contention at the start.

Ryley Major began well, settled just worse than midfield and Hillier launched with a big run around the field to eventually find the lead in the middle stages.

He never really looked in danger and won from another Victorian, Its Back In The Day, who sat behind Ryley Major, and veteran Star Chamber, who won the Tasmania Cup way back in 2014, finishing well for third.

Ryley Major’s won 28 of his 39 starts and will now surely get his chance in some better races on the mainland.

Its Back In The Day’s team, father and son John and Rhys Nicholson, snared a win earlier in the night with Micton Mouse in the Tasmanian Derby.

** ** ** **

CLASSY NSW stayer Atomic Red is just one of the many Aussies to make a lie of his poor Auckland Inter Dominion form since returning home.

The six-year-old only knows one way and he was at his trademark best in front, bowling along for driver Amanda Turnbull and simply running his rivals ragged in the Group 3 Young Cup on Friday night.

Atomic Red ran the 2480m trip in a 1min57.2sec mile rate and beat stablemate Conviction by 13.7m with favourite Our Uncle Sam tiring for third after doing the work outside the leader.

Jimmy Rattray trained and drove Jimartee to an all-the-way Young Derby win, while the Oaks went to Chris Frisby’s exciting filly Jenden Strike.

** ** ** **

SHANE and Lauren Tritton “farewelled” Menangle when old-stager Maximan ran second in the final race at Menangle last night.

The Trittons now head to North America to continue their careers.

“We’ll be based with my Dad (Peter Tritton) and race horses at Yonkers and the Meadowlands,” Shane Tritton said.

“We hope to have our first runners in late April or early May.

“You certainly leave here with mixed emotions, but it’s time for us to try something different.”

** ** ** **

IT is a shame a minor setback derailed a Sydney raid for WA’s most exciting pacer Shockwave.

Luckless through the big WA and Fremantle Cups in January, Ryan Bell’s four-year-old returned to racing with a soft win in the $50,000 Group 2 4&5YO Championship (2130m) at Gloucester Park last Friday night.

There’s no doubt he would have been competitive in a Chariots Of Fire and/or Miracle Mile.

Driver Aiden De Campo used gate one to lead and dictated terms in front before ripping home in 55.5 and 27.3sec.

“His point to point speed is outstanding. He can sustain for a long way,” De Campo said.

Bell is keen to tackle some big races, including the Sydney Inter Dominion later this year and De Campo wants to be part of it.

“I’ll go anywhere to drive him, he’s so exciting,” he said.

Another WA horse worthy of Inter Dominion consideration is Greg and Skye Bond’s Vampiro.

The speedy gelding exploded from the outside draw to lead the 2536m free-for-all and never looked in danger.

The Bonds contemplated a crack at the Miracle Mile qualifiers with Vampiro, but opted to keep him at home with a view to an easter states raid later this year.

** ** ** **

THE early signs say the powerhouse Emma Stewart and Clayton Tonkin barn is set for another big juvenile season.

Although their babies have been a little later to hit the track this season, the impact has been immediate.

Nicely-bred filly Treachery (Captaintreacherous-Lovelist) has looked fantastic winning both her runs in a heat and final of The Allwood series at Globe Derby.

After winning her heat by 24.8 metres, Kima Frenning parrnered Treachery to a staggering 37.2m win in the final at Globe Derby last night.

Making the win so good was the fact Treachery copped an early check, galloped, lost about 15-20m and recovered to whiz around and take the lead before powering clear over the last 400m.

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