Geoff Webster is the trainer of Flaming Flutter.
Very smart Bettors Delight/Twice As Hot four year old entire Flaming Flutter resumed from a long lay off with a brilliant victory of the 1st Heat of the time honoured Crameri Pty Ltd sponsored Central Victorian Pacing Championship for C2 or better class over 2150 metres at Lord’s Raceway Bendigo on Tuesday December 31.
Trained by Geoff Webster at Bannockburn and driven by Greg Sugars, Flaming Flutter a former South Australian Derby winner having his first outing since April, stepped cleanly from the 10 metre mark to settle four back the markers, with the heavily backed ex-Kiwi Bushrod going for three wins on the trot assuming control over Nimble Jack shortly after the start.
Moving to lead up the outside division racing for the bell, Flaming Flutter joined Bushrod along the back straight and the pair drew away to fight out the finish.
In a ding-dong tussle all the way up the running, Flaming Flutter prevailed by 2.7 metres in a mile rate of 1-58.3 (last half mile 54.7 – quarter 27.2), with Nimble Jack running his usual honest race for third.
The first heat of the Central Victorian Trotting Championship also sponsored by Crameri Pty Ltd, saw victory go to former New Zealand four year old gelding Unico Crown, a gelded son of Monarchy and Sunny Gem trained by Dean Braun at Lara for Tasmanian Todd Struthers.
Making his first race appearance since May when unplaced at Ashburton, Unico Crown with stable reinsman Chris Alford aboard, jumped straight to the front from barrier two and rated to perfection, held too many guns for the Breeders Crown victor Quite A Moment (30 metres) which circled the field to race in the open mid-race, going down fighting by 4.6 metres in a rate of 2-04.9 (last half 58 – quarter 28.4). Sun Of Sonoko finished third 27.1 metres away after being very slow to begin.
Further heats will be conducted at Charlton (Boort meeting) on January 2, Maryborough (Wedderburn meeting) January 6 and Charlton on January 9, with the Semi-Finals to be held at Charlton (St Arnaud meeting) on January 15, with the Finals taking place at Maryborough on January 20.
