Star South Australian pacer Artillery returned from a spell in brilliant fashion at Port Pirie on Saturday.
Artillery came from fourth at the 400 metre mark to score a three metre win in the Spencer Motor Company Pace (2050m).
The field sprinted home in a brisk 55.8 seconds for the final 800 metres and the winner’s time would have been quicker as he gave about a 15 metre start to the leader Dancing Finn.
Artillery ($2.30 fav) beat Dancing Finn ($4.40) with Imperials Reason ($9.50) an eye-catching third, eight metres away after galloping early in the race.
In a word of warning to rivals, trainer-driver Paul Cavallaro said there was still good improvement in his six-year-old.
“I would say he was only about 70 percent fit,” Cavallaro said.
“He has bigger goals next month and I will be building him up to peak then.
“I was very happy with the win as I thought he might have been in a bit of trouble early.
“Dancing Finn is a very good mare and when she led and got away with such a slow first quarter (34.7 seconds) I thought it might be too much of an ask to catch her.
“But I got a good cart into the race trailing Uncle Chan and my bloke sprinted really well.”
Cavallaro said the Kapunda and Kadina Cups were goals ahead for Artillery which has now won 26 races and is closing in on $250,000 in stakes.
A busy 12 hours for owner-breeder Tara-Shae Linke on Saturday.
Her classy mare Coco Mia impressed with an excellent win in the Risdon Hotel Pace (1609m) at Port Pirie then when she arrived back at her parent’s Kadina home there was only a little sleep.
In the early hours of Sunday morning, her broodmare Jet Quick, the mother of Coco Mia, delivered a colt foal by the American stallion Cattlewash.
Tara-Shae’s brother Tyson, who trains Coco Mia, said the colt was an impressive looker and mother and foal were doing well.
“It has been a busy 24 hours for Tara,” Linke said.
“She and Dad (Ross) were up to help the mare foal down after being at Pirie to watch Coco Mia.”
Coco Mia ($1.30 fav), driven by Wayne Hill, had little more than a trial in sprinting home to win by 5-1/2 metres from Bettor Be Lively ($10) with Bitofdutchcourage ($4.60), six metres away third.
She rated 1:55.1 with a last half of 56.1 seconds.
“Wayne didn’t know her around once he knew she had the race won,” Linke said.
“He allowed her to cruise up the straight without pulling the (ear) plugs, and we know how she sprints when the ripcord is pulled.”
Linke said he was being a “little protective” of Coca Mia on the return from racing after injury.
“We are really happy with her return, and she is doing really well.
“In fact, our vet has trouble seeing which hock was injured when she is striding out. Maybe we are protecting her a bit too much, but we are always cautious.
“I will continue to try and space her races to two or three weeks and progress through the classes, realising we will have to test her against the best eventually.”
Linke said he might also consider going to Melbourne with Coco Mia if a suitable option presented.
The mare was one of a treble for South Australia’s leading reinsman Wayne Hill at Port Pirie.
He also scored on Merlins Illusion for Victorian trainer Naomi Kerr in the Kauschke’s Discount Paint Pace (1609m) and Mixed Messages for Gawler trainer Garry Connor in the Frank Borg-Short Term Financial Solutions Pace (16909m).
Merlins Illusion was part of as double for Kerr who also prepared Feng Shui Star to win the PPHRC Volunteers Appreciation Pace (1609m).
She was unlucky not have to have at least a treble with Go Away Again a close second to Tembie and Prioritise second to Mixed Messages after being trapped three wide for the entire race.
Hill said Merlins Illusion ($3.20) perfectly placed one-out, one-back in his race before sprinting strongly over the final 300 metres to score a three metre win over Resurrects ($1.90 fav) with Mighty Carson ($7.40), two metres away third.
Feng Shui Star ($2.15 fav), driven by Jason Kittel, made it four wins from as many starts since joining the Kerr stable finishing strongly to win by 2-1/2 metres from Always Torque To Me ($5) with Celestial Daybreak ($14), 3-1/2 metres away third.
Mixed Messages ($3.90), a lightly raced eight-year-old, trailed the leader Bernie Macray ($7) before dashing up the sprint lane.
The gelding scored by three metres from Prioritise ($3 fav) which had no luck being caught three wide throughout.
Despite that adversity, Prioritise had the audacity to loom up as a possible winner on the home turn but had no answer to the sprint of Mixed Messages.
Tembie made it two wins in a row for Port Pirie trainer Dale Afford and reinsman Josh Holberton taking out the Ladbrokes Easy Form Pace (2050m).
Well rated in front, Tembie ($2.60) showed great courage to hold off Go Away Again ($2.10 fav) by a head with Hesashark ($12), a stablemate of the winner, five metres away third.
Owner-trainer Matt Maguire had another win with My Bad Habits ($6.50) in the PPHRC AGM 15th September Trotters Handicap (2050m).
Driven by Corey Johnson, My Bad Habits scored 1-1/2 metres from Xebec ($5.50) with Wishing Star ($3.90 fav) two metres away third.
The metropolitan harness race meeting this week will be held at Gawler on Thursday, September 12 with the Globe Derby Park track still under renovation.
