Norman delighted with Silk Road Final win

By Jonny Turner 

He might have looked unfazed, but underneath it all Brian Norman got a big kick out of Superfast’s upset win in the Diamond Creek Farm SBSR Silk Road Final at Ascot Park.

A pinpoint Mark Hurrell drive helped the pacer bag the biggest stake of her career in Sunday's mares feature.

Closing in on 50 years as a licence holder, Norman has seen more than most and experienced many of the highs and lows the sport has to offer.

While he doesn't get too animated at the races, Superfast's victory was a little different.

"I don't usually get too excited but that win was exciting," Norman said.

Norman and Hurrell combined for a winning double at Ascot Park, with Pacific Arc running to a well-deserved victory earlier in the day.

Hurrell doesn't just deserve credit for his tactics on the track, but also for helping revive the careers of both of Norman's winners.

"I said to Mark that Superfast was coming to the end of it,” Norman said. 

"He said to me that she was going good, I said yeah but she isn’t getting any money."

"I took her to the workouts and drove her myself and she wanted to get out a bit."

"I changed her gear around and put a pricker on the outside, as well as a murphy blind."

"Since then she's run a really good fifth and then won her last two starts."

While Superfast was rated 12th favourite in a 13-horse field, Norman went into the race with some confidence around the chances of the mare he races himself.

"She could have gone in a rating race, but I looked at the nominations for the mares race and there wasn't any real standout winner in there."

"She ran the same time as she did when she won last week and she has gone just as good."

Norman admitted Pacific Arc's career was at a crossroads before his brilliantly consistent run of form.

Hurrell also had an impact on the pacer turning around some ordinary form.

"I took him to Gore on the grass and I said to Mark put him in the race because I think he will keep going."

"He went around them and he stuck on pretty well for fifth."

"Since then we have been driving that way and he's gone some bloody good races."

"He has also been looking better, he's picked up even though he's had a bit of racing."

"He doesn't do a lot between races, he will have a couple of days off and then it just depends what is happening."

Pacific Arc had run nine placings this year before scoring for owners Peter McKnight and Norman's brother Keith.

Norman has plenty to look forward to in the spring with his promising filly Imperious Girl returning to work.

Trained and driven by Craig Ferguson, the three-year-old created a big impression when winning all three of her starts in April and May.

Ferguson plans to give Imperious Girl her shot at feature age-group races in the coming months.