Emmas The One

Boom two-year-old Emmas Only (pictured) is set to stretch his unbeaten streak to five after drawing the coveted pole in Thursday night?s $30,000 Tatlow Stakes Final at Moonee Valley.

The Andy Gath-trained and Kerryn Gath-driven pacer is perfectly placed to repeat his all-the-way victory against the same eight rivals in the Tatlow Preview at Cranbourne on 6 June.

At his only Moonee Valley appearance the flying son of Presidential Ball paced a two-year-old track record 1:57.2 mile on debut.

Victory in the Group 3 event would take Emmas Only?s career earnings to $192,249 and further tighten his grip on favouritism for the title of Australian Juvenile Pacer of the Year.

Tough Western Australian colt Iron Gloves, who?s drawn to trail Emmas Only throughout in gate eight, looms as the most likely suspect if there?s to be an upset in the 2090 metre feature.

After the Tatlow Final Emmas Only will be confined to the training track for the next six weeks because of his ineligibility for the Vicbred Super Series.

His primary target before the season draws to a close is the rich Australasian Breeders Crown series at Bendigo in August.

Photo Licences Announced

Harness Racing Victoria has announced that it is introducing photo licences for the 2004/05 season.

From 1 September, all Victorian trainers, drivers and stablehands will be required to wear a photo licence whilst in an official capacity on any Victorian racecourse.

With the likely introduction of an on-course horse movement policy, photo licences form part of HRV?s increased commitment to occupational health and safety and will assist stewards and club officials in conducting their duties.

The photo licence, which will double as an admission card at all Victorian race meetings, delivers considerable cost savings to the industry through the acquisition of licencing equipment by HRV, bringing a previously outsourced task in-house.

As part of the 2004/05 licence application process, all trainers, drivers and stablehands will be required to present in person at one of a series of race meetings from 1 July or at the HRV offices to have their photograph taken.

Whilst licences will continue to be renewed annually, it is envisaged that the photographs will only need to be renewed every three years.

Brown Plans Winter Getaway

Talented young Ararat trainer Aaron Brown is Queensland bound with his emerging star Sir Romulus for a working holiday.

Brown has earmarked the $35,000 Redcliffe Cup on August 6 as a primary target for the standing start specialist who took out the Charlton, Wedderburn and Horsham Cups under those conditions earlier this season.

If the lightly raced six-year-old pleases Brown at Redcliffe, he?ll then meet the big guns Sokyola, Jofess and Double Identity in the $30,000 Sunshine Sprint and $75,000 Winter Cup at Brisbane?s Albion Park on August 21 and 28.

?He had about six weeks in the paddock and did a treat. He?s been back in work about four weeks now and is just starting to hopple,? Brown said.

?He improved a lot last campaign and I?m hoping that he?ll improve that little bit again this time in as I think he?s up to Grand Circuit class.?

Looking further ahead, Brown has pencilled in the $100,000 Kilmore Pacing Cup (Group 1) on October 26 as a major target for the son of ill-fated 1992 Cup winner The Unicorn.

Crown Raiders Shine

Australasian Breeders Crown acceptors continue to shine across the Tasman with Marika and Molly Darling tasting feature race success last Friday night in Auckland, NZ.

Marika, a tough and exciting two-year-old colt from the Laurence Hanrahan stable, took out the $20,625 Morrinsville Stakes in a slick 1:59.2 mile rate.

The Morrinsville is the final lead-up to Friday night?s $100,000 New Zealand 2YO Championship where Marika will renew acquaintances with fellow ABC acceptor Baileys Dream who was a late scratching from last week?s event.

Later in the night, the Brent Mangos trained and driven speed machine Molly Darling upstaged boom filly Kamwood Cully to take home the $107,350 Nevele R Stud Caduceus Club 2YO Fillies Classic (Group 1).

On the Alexandra Park same program, three-year-old ABC acceptors Fake Denario (trainer Steve Reid) and Sir Lance (trainer Laurence Hanrahan) enhanced their claims for a trip to Bendigo in August with an impressive one-two against the older horses.

Nine Straight For Uisce?

The emerging juggernaut that is Cashel Uisce rolls into Wangaratta on Thursday afternoon with the boom Riverina pacer out to take his unblemished record to nine from nine.

The $5000 Paintright ? Paintworld Wangaratta Winter Cup shapes as a very winnable event for the Steve Harris trained and driven pacer who has drawn the front line (gate six) on a track that invariably suits on-pace runners.

The four-year-old is fresh from a clean sweep of the time-honoured Tontine Series including his 1:59.5 (2195m) win over subsequent luckless Moonee Valley placegetter Doyawantitagain and Ballarat winner Zerrafoss.

Victory on Thursday would take the son of Falcon Seelster to a C7 M0 assessment, paving the way for the exciting pacer to make his metropolitan debut at either Moonee Valley or Harold Park.

Mildura Stakes Increase

Hot on the heels of announcing a rise in their 2005 Cup prizemoney to $50,000, Mildura has announced a further stakes increase for the 2004/05 season.

From 1 September, Mildura will provide a $5000 minimum stake for the fast class event at each meeting outside the Cup program.

The club will also provide increases above the minimum $4200 country stake race for all other events, with the figures to be determined at the time of programming.

In other news, the Northern Region has announced that Alabar Bloodstock will sponsor the prestigious Northern Region Championship for the next three years.

The 2005 Championship Final will be run at Nyah on 1 March for a $15,000 stake. Heats will be earlier staged at Mildura and the semi finals at Ouyen for the popular C1-C2 series.