Graham Fischer
THE Ladies Club of Gawler-based Aaron Bain Racing had a perfect, and exciting start, with Arco delivering a brilliant win at Mildura on Thursday.
Arco was having her first start for the 250 members of the Ladies Club when she stepped out in the Mildura Party Hire Pace over
1790m.
Backed from $1.45 into $1.20 favourite, the four-year-old ex-New Zealand mare with champion reinswoman Danielle Hill in the sulky had been expected to win, but it proved a tougher contract than expected.
At the finish, Arco prevailed by a half-head from Ozzie Sunshine ($7.10) after a two-horse war for much of the last lap.
The third horse, Muay Thai ($13.40), was 36 metres away in third spot.
Trainer Aaron Bain said he was sure nearly all the club members had watched the race.
“My phone nearly exploded with text messages and calls after the race,” he said.
“There were a lot of very happy owners.”
Bain said the race took an unexpected turn.
“From gate two I was hoping she might lead or be on the speed,” he said.
“But as can happen at Mildura, there was a real charge for the lead with four horses trying to find the front in the drive around the first turn.
“Wisely, Dani didn’t worry about getting in the speed burn.”
As a result, Arco settled three pairs back in the running line, trailing the eventual runner-up Ozzie Sunshine.
With just over a lap to go, Hill came out on Arco forcing Ellen Tormey,
driving Ozzie Sunshine, to pull out leading the three-wide line.
Ozzie Sunshine showed good speed down the back straight to eventually surge to the lead, but Arco was trailing up.
The leader showed no signs of stopping, but Arco kept reducing the deficit in the home straight, and as Hill urged her ride for a little bit more, the mare responded to travel up alongside Ozzie Sunshine and, in the shadows of the post, put her head in front to claim victory.
Bain said the mare had a real will to win.
“You can’t train that into horses – she wanted to win,” he said.
Driver Danielle Hill was also impressed by Arco’s desire.
“She really knuckled down in the home straight and was determined to win,” Hill said.
“I can’t praise her more highly – it was a tough race, but she was up for the challenge.”
Bain continued his good week on Saturday, as stable-star Ideal World notched another Albion Park win.
“He really has gone to another level,” Bain said.
“He beat free-for-all class pacers on Saturday – maybe the top three or four might have been missing, but you can only beat those who line up.”
Trained and driven by Narissa McMullen, Ideal World ($2.50 fav) began brilliantly from gate two to lead easily in the Designline Open Pace (2138m).
Once in front, McMullen rated him beautifully with a 60.2 second first-half of the last 1600 metres, before sprinting home the final 800 metres in 54.9
seconds to leave his rivals in the dust.
Ideal World won by 1.7 metres from Larry Lincoln ($14) which had trailed him throughout, with Chevrons Reward ($6.50) a nose away third.
The winning week wasn’t over, though, as on Sunday Aaron Bain Racing completed a full hand of winning states when Vespa led throughout at Williams in Western Australia.
“ABR now has had a winner in all five Australian states,” Bain said.
“This weekend we had Ideal World win in Queensland, and Vespa score in Western Australia, on opposite sides of the continent.”
Vespa, having just his second start for WA trainer Michael Young, led throughout from gate one to win the Williams Cup (2666m).
Driven by champion reinsman Gary Hall Jr, Vespa was never seriously challenged and won by 6.4 metres rating 2:01.6 around the tight circuit.
Backed from $1.70 into $1.28 favourite, the five-year-old beat Bee Jays Boy ($5.50) with Miracle Max ($14) 16.3 metres
away third.
Apart from Aaron Bain Racing, the ownership group also includes Summit Bloodstock, which sourced the horse, and Port Pirie harness fan Kirsty-Ann
Tattoli.