Cambridge undercard

In the hands of his trainer Tony Herlihy, the talented two year old Off Shore got his first win on the board at Cambridge tonight when he led and won with plenty in hand, the $25,000 Dinny Johnstone Two Year Old Mobile Pace.

“He’s still on a learning curve and the guys have been patient with him. Next time in he’ll be even better I think,” Herlihy said.

The winning time was 2-02.9 for the 1700 metres, a mile rate of 1-56.3. The last 800 metres was run in 56.1.

Owned by Luke Tabone, Off Shore was bred by Woodlands Stud and is out of a full sister to Spanish Armada, the winner of fourteen of her nineteen starts.

Herlihy was at it again when he reined Our Col (Father Patrick) to smash the New Zealand record and win the $40,000 IRT Sires’ Stakes Three Year Old Trotters Semi Final.

Petite Armour led from the 2200 metre start point but was pressured early by favourite Kyvalley Ray who went off stride shortly afterwards. Herlihy then moved up to challenge for the lead but it wasn’t there, so he dropped in to take the trail. Turning in, Our Col came up the passing lane to win by two and a quarter lengths from Petite Armour.

“It was great for her because she hasn’t got a whole lot of experience. She handled everything well, a tribute to her,” Herlihy said.

Her winning time of 2-42.3 smashed the New Zealand record for fillies of 2-44.2 previously held by Tailored Elegance.

“She’s a pretty smart filly alright. One of the best I’ve sat behind.”

Owned by Suzanne Herlihy, Trish and John Green and Colleen Smith, Our Col was bred by Breckon Farms and is out of Cheeky Babe who won four of her five starts for Herlihy and is a half-sister to Bet N Win.

She remains unbeaten in three starts.

The two oldest horses in the race, Bettor Reaction (seven) and Ohoka Achilles (eleven), dished out an upset quinella in the Trans-Tasman Drivers Invitational.

From his second draw, Driver Zachary Butcher settled Bettor Reaction (Auckland Reactor) well off the pace and timed his run to perfection, storming home to win by a length with Ohoka Reaction coming up the passing lane for second.

“In all fairness I thought it was a good drive to pick up. The TAB put him out at 51s. He’d been going some super races. It looked like a field that was going to go hard and I thought he might be able to roll over the top of them. That’s how it happened,” Butcher said.

Trained on the track by Les White, the seven year old has now won seven races.

Bettor Reaction paid $32. 60 and $5.00 while the quinella paid $181.20.

After receiving the perfect trip behind pacemaker Smackdown, Ripples (Bettor’s Delight) proved too classy in tonight’s Magness Benrow Sires’ Stakes Three Year Old Fillies Semi Final.

Trainer driver Luke McCarthy was all smiles once Smackdown held the front from gate one, and from her inside second row draw Ripples was able to secure the run of the race.

Turning in, McCarthy elected to pull off Smackdown’s back and she let down nicely to beat Smackdown by half a length.

“She had a great trip and with the one holding up, it helped a lot. To the leader’s credit I got past her quite easily but it kept kicking back,” McCarthy said.

The winning time for the 1700 metre mobile was 1-59.5 – a mile rate of 1-53.1 – a new PB for Ripples.

The three year old filly is owned by Mick Harvey and has been a regular trans-Tasman traveller, spending some time with Mark Jones in New Zealand.

In recent weeks she’s performed well against good company in Australia and unsurprisingly was made favourite on the back of those runs.

“She was awesome at Bathurst. Sat parked in the Gold Crown and just got beat. So we knew she was fit and ready to go.”

“I knew I’d get him,” Maurice McKendry said after Lincoln Wave (Downbytheseaside) got up to beat Cyclone Rebel driven by arch rival Tony Herlihy in the Garrard’s Sires’ Stakes Three Year Old Semi Final.

From a wide draw Herlihy was able to get to the top and when Nymbal galloped, McKendry was able to push through and get the trail with Lincoln Wave.

“I was a bit lucky but that sort of helped.”

Cyclone Rebel and Lincoln Wave locked horns all the way down the Cambridge straight with Lincoln Wave getting the call by a nose.

Trained by Ray Green and Nathan Delany, the win was the three year old gelding’s fourth in seven starts.

“I haven’t driven him for a while but he was good tonight.”

The win by Lincoln Wave went someway to compensate for his full-brother Omaha Lincoln also trained by Green and Delany, having to be late scratched earlier in the night.

For complete race results, click here.

by Bruce Stewart, for Harnesslink