Enjoy Life maintains winning record in VicBred

Tasmanian Derby winner Enjoy Life (Always B Miki) made amends for his semi final loss when he outsprinted his harness racing rivals in the APG VicBred Super Series Final for three year old colts and geldings at Melton on Saturday evening.

One of eight Group 1 races for the night it was a training triumph for Emma Stewart as she prepared the first three place getters.

 

Enjoy Life was heavily backed due to his ideal barrier draw of two but he couldn’t hold out his stablemate Cardigan Dan early who sped to the lead. Most Exciting was three back on the rails and last week’s impressive heat winner Le Cardinal had the one out and one back trail until The Niteshift went around the field to race outside the leader.

ENJOY LIFE 12 SEP REPLAY

Cardigan Dan had the measure of The Niteshift who seemed to be struggling on the final bend and he kicked clear on straightening. Enjoy Life took some to get wound up but once driver Mark Pitt steered for the inside run, he picked up the bit and came away for a convincing win over a bold Cardigan Dan with Most Exciting filling in third without looking likely to trouble the winner.

Driver Mark Pitt admitted to a few anxious moments.

I sort of, probably didn’t get off the gate as quite as, I expected, but he still dug up enough to get in there and when Kate (Gath on Cardigan Dan) sort of had that three-quarters of a length on me I couldn’t be kept burrowing up there.

I just thought, I’ll cop the medicine and we lead his back and, just drive him for his speed, because he probably doesn’t quite concentrate as well as he does, when he’s on a helmet. And sort of I had to be a little bit careful that we don’t hit the front too early, because  he’s a little bit of a tendency just to knock off and, and halfway from a little bit. But look, he really hit the line and run through it tonight.

Look it felt really strong from about the 550 mark but we really were smoking around the turn. it was pretty tight. It was the outside horse, the Night Shift, was probably racing a little bit tight on me. When I was hanging in a little bit, it sort of took me a little bit to wind up and get his momentum. But once he sort of hit the top straight and I got to the inside he really let down strong.

There were few excuses in the beaten division, Cardigan Dan almost stole the race while in front while Major Blitz finished well along the rails to run credible fourth.

Enjoy Life has now won nine of his ten starts and must now be regarded as a serious proposition if connections decide to tackle the $150,000 Victoria Pacers Derby with the Final on 17 October.

For complete race entries, click here.

By Tony Milanese for Harnesslink