A decision to keep three-year-old filly Shezamajorstar in South Australia is paying dividends.
The talented filly unleashed a devastating sprint at Port Pirie on Saturday to take out the Caffe Primo Minlaton Pace (1609m), the first of a training treble for Gawler trainer Aaron
Bain.
Shezamajorstar, which drifted from $2 to start $3.40, was last coming off the back straight in the field of nine but when reinsman Wayne Hill asked her to sprint she exploded to cut down the leader Johnboyazza ($5 into $3 fav) and win running away by 2-1/2 metres.
Ceeubetty ($4.20) was 6-1/2 metres away third.
Now trained by Aaron Bain in Gawler, Shezamajorstar started her racing in Victoria with top trainer Emma Stewart.
“The filly is owned by Aaron Bain Racing, Summit Bloodstock, the breeder Alabar Bloodstock and a group of our owners and won at her first start at Ballarat in October last year,” Bain said.
“However, Emma felt she was still immature and after a break it was decided to leave her with me in Gawler and give her some racing to try and help her mature.
“She won first up, then ran third last week but didn’t finish her race off so we changed her training and a bit of gear, and it worked.
“Wayne (Hill) said she was much improved and really wanted to race, and he was confident she would be hard to hold out.
“Hopefully, we have her ready to measure up in tougher races.
“She will probably have at least one more run here before heading back to Emma to contest the rich Vicbred Series.”
Bain brought up a race-to-race double when Sheza Manipulator took out the Robust Worx Civil Solutions Pace (1609m) courtesy of a brilliant drive by Samantha Pascoe.
Away quickly from the outside of the front row, Pascoe was able to angle in behind Giant Jackson which had led from gate two.
Coming off the back straight, Giant Jackson drifted away from the inside and Pascoe was able to push through which proved significant.
With that run, Sheza Manipulator ($2.80 into $2.10 fav) was able to hold off Magic Storm ($1.50 out to $2.40) by a half neck.
Magic Storm, which had won six races straight for Kadina trainer Tyson Linke, was given a great drive by Wayne Hill but found the winner too good.
“It was a great drive by Sam, but she certainly had a bit of luck,” Bain said.
“But the mare deserved something to go her way. I believe she is the bravest horse I have ever trained – she has a real will to win. If every horse had her desire, training would be a lot easier.”
Sheza Manipulator won her first eight starts for Bain and his owners after coming from New Zealand.
Bain’s treble came up with star three-year-old filly Wings On The Line in the Ladbrokes SA Concession Drivers Series (1609m).
Wings On The Line won her sixth race in a row working to the front from gate six for top young driver Bernadette Page.
The red hot $1.45 favourite was pressured mid race but drew clear to win by 13 metres from Tembie ($3.20) in a quick mile rate of 1:57.0.
Veteran trainer-driver Garth Hurrell, 78, scored his biggest win when Majestic Tilly led throughout in the $14,999 Muscle M Up USA @ Trump Bloodstock Emerging Stars Trotters Series Final (2050m).
Hurrell had Majestic Tilly ($5.50) away quickly from gate five and found the front. He then rated the mare perfectly and she won by four metres from Bishop George ($26) with Sammy Barbaro ($17), three metres away third.
The five-year-old mare, which he also bred, has now won six races.
Kadina trainer Leah Holman celebrated her return from walking the Kokoda Trail with a win by Bling It Up in the Thirsty Camel Minlaton Hotel Pace (2050m).
Driven by Todd Mumford, Bling It Up ($4.20) settled third on the fence before sprinting strongly to grab a short half head win from Dancing Finn ($4.40) with Maharajah ($6.50) two metres away third.
Trainer Lance Holberton and his reinsman son Josh would have thought Dancing Finn was home when she went to the front, but the winner was just too strong.
The Holbertons had a Pirie winner with the trotter Xebec ($1.35 fav) proving too strong for his rivals in the Ardrossan Hotel Trot (2050m).
Per Ardua Ad Astra returned to the winning list for Two Wells trainer Shane Loone with an all-the-way victory in the Wombat Hotel Pace (2050m).
Aggressively driven early from barrier five by Kevin Weidenbach, Per Ardua Ad Astra ($5) was rated perfectly to score by three metres from Hes All Torque ($3.50 into $1.95 fav) with Kahina ($4.80), four metres away third.
Sent across from Perth by owner Bob Fowler, the six-year-old has won five of his last six starts for Loone.
The main meeting next week for harness racing in South Australia will be at Gawler on Sunday, August 4.
