Aussie News with Adam Hamilton

WHAT an old marvel Bling It On is.

When you consider he was a juvenile jet, let your mind wander to the fact he’s now a 10-year-old in NZ terms and mixing breeding with still running in Group 1 races.

And now he’s back in the winner’s circle – for the first time in more than 10 months – after dominating the 2300m free-for-all at Menangle last night.

Bling It On worked his way to the front and never looked in danger as he cruised to 2.1m win over stablemate Bright Energy in a 1min55sec mile rate for 2300m.

In wet and slushy conditions, Bling It On ran a 25.9sec last quarter.

It was his 49th career win from 99 starts and edged him close to $1.9 million in earnings.

Trainer Craig Cross is keen to take Bling It On and star stablemate King Of Swing north for the Queensland Summer Carnival in December if the COVID-19 travel restrictions are eased in time.

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CHAMPION driver Brian Gath narrowly missed Down Under harness history aboard Bettor Enforce at Melton last night.

The 76-year-old Gath led, copped plenty of midrace pressure, and kept finding, but couldn’t stave-off the big late finish of the much-travelled Speak No Evil in the $100,000 Group 1 Queen of the Pacific (2760m).

Gath was trying to better the record of 73-year-olds Graeme Lang, Colin McDowell and Graeme Bowyer as the oldest Aussies to drive Group 1 winners.

But Speak No Evil was quite a story in itself when you consider she’s only been in Turnbull’s care a couple of months after long stints with Australia’s two top stables, Emma Stewart and then Craig Cross.

Speak No Evil sparkled winning first-up from a spell when she led throughout at Melton a week earlier, but this time she camped off the hot pace and stormed to victory.

The mile rate for the staying trip was a slick 1min55.6sec.

Speak No Evil, bred and raced by Lauriston Bloodstock, is out of former classy Kiwi mate Top Tempo and has now won 16 of his 29 starts and earned over $350,000.

The win capped a mighty night for Turnbull.

Earlier her emerging star Catch A Moment showed again why many think he’s headed for much bigger races.

The rising five-year-old has always shown plenty of promise, but gone to another level with his arrogant heat and final wins in the Group 3 Alabar Vicbred Championship.

After winning his heat by half the straight, Catch A Moment never looked out of second gear winning the final by 5.5m and finishing off in 56 and 27.6sec to win the final in a 1min55.1sec mile rate for 2240m.

Catch A Moment’s won seven of his 11 runs this season and 12 of 30 lifetime.

Another winner of note on the night was recent Kiwi import Major Meister, who made it two wins from as many starts for new training Adam Kelly when he used the sprint lane to win The Graduate for driver Greg Sugars.

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THIS Chicago Bull and Shockwave rivalry is brewing superbly.

For the second time in a row, Chicago Bull used a much better barrier to lead and beat Shockwave at Gloucester Park.

But on both occasions, Shockwave has been simply superb in defeat.

Driver Gary Hall Jr used to the pole to lead easily on Chicago Bull and dictate terms, while Shockwave settled one-out and two-back and had to sustain a long three-wide run.

Just 3.3m separated them on the line, which was huge for Shockwave given the closing splits of 54.1 and 26.6sec.

Both are building superbly towards the first of the WA’s major races, the Group 1 Fremantle Cup a Gloucester Park on November 20. The Group 1 WA Pacing Cup follows two weeks later.

Kiwi-bred former NSW pacer Jack Farthing caught the eye with a luckless third and looks like he’s settled superbly in WA racing or new trainer Justin Prentice.

Another winner to really catch the eye on the night was Colin Brown’s American Ideal juvenile filly American Arma, who made it two wins from as many starts winning as she liked by 9.3m in a 1min57.5sec mile rate for 2130m.

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YOUNG Kiwi horseman Jack Trainor scored one of his more important NSW wins at Menangle last night.

Trainor, who is now dabbling in training a few as well as his freelance driving, rated speedy filly Our Antonio Rose to perfection in front and literally “stole” the $50,000 Breeders Challenge “True Blue” final for three-year-old fillies.

Hot favourite Keep Rockin, who lost her Group 1 Breeders Challenge final on protest last week, had to be content with second again after storming home from an impossible position and missing by just a half-head.

Trainer-driver Brian Portelli had to be a content with a mighty second from his star juvenile Tasty Delight in last week’s Group 1 NSW Breeders Challenge final, but he snared somewhat of a consolation when Katchar Shoobee won at Menangle last night.

Katchar Shoobee, backed in $1.90 favourite, led throughout to win the $50,000 Breeders Challenge “True Blue” final for three-year-old colts and geldings.

While his daughter Amanda was dominating he Melton card, Steve Turnbull snared a Menangle feature of his own when he trained $26 outsider Warrawee Drinking to win the Blue series final for two-year-old colts and geldings.

The two-year-old fillies final was won in dominant all-the-way fashion by the Wayne Dimech-trained Merrywood Lynn, driven by Josh Gallagher.

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NO wonder Anthony Butt thinks Wolf Stride will make a Grand Circuit horse.

The four-year-old is already a Group 1 winner of the NSW Regional Challenge Metro final earlier this year, but it’s been his recent Melton form which has really turned heads.

And Wolf Stride went to a new level with his narrow but powerhouse My Lightning Blue free-for-all win in a 1min52.3sec mile rate for 1720m.

He drew the back, settled well back, but sustained a booming three-wide run to find the spot outside the leader and just keep digging deep in closing splits of 55.1 and 27.3sec to win by a half-head over Somebeachshadow, who had the sit behind the leader and used the sprint lane.