Enjoy Life - Ten from eleven and counting

Enjoy Life (Always B Miki – Perfect Life) has won 10 of his 11 harness racing starts, and on Saturday night he showed he can win the hard way too.

The Emma Stewart-trained colt took out the first heat of the Woodlands Stud Victoria Derby at Melton by a half head, booking his place in next Saturday’s final. He is a $16 chance for the $1.5 million TAB Eureka at Menangle on November 21.

It was the toughest of his wins so far. Drawn on the second row over 2760 metres, the $2.30 favourite was settled near the tail by Mark Pitt while Cardigan Dan raced keenly in front and Soho Charmer worked outside him. Eighth at the bell, Enjoy Life launched a three-wide run from the back straight, swept past Soho Charmer at the top of the straight and held on by a half head from his fast-finishing stablemate Mount Barker Boy ($31), with Ruggards Gee Tee a further 5.5 metres back in third. Cardigan Dan faded to finish tenth.

ENJOY LIFE REPLAY

The field ran quarters of 28.9, 29.6, 28.6 and 28.6, and the mile rate was 1:55.8.

His previous start was his biggest win. In the Group 1 APG Vicbred Super Series Final for three-year-old colts and geldings at Melton on September 12, he started the $2 favourite from barrier two but could not hold out stablemate Cardigan Dan early. Pitt settled for the trail, then took the sprint lane in the straight to win by 2.5 metres from Cardigan Dan in a 1:54.0 mile rate, the last two quarters run in 27.0 and 26.4, with Most Exciting third as Stewart trained the first three home.

“I thought that I would cop my medicine and be leader’s back,” Mark Pitt said.

Pitt said the colt concentrates better when he races behind another horse, and the tactic paid off. The win made amends for the only defeat of his career, a third beaten 2.9 metres in his Vicbred semi-final at Melton a week earlier.

Enjoy Life’s career began in Tasmania. He won on debut at Hobart in January and went on to win his first five starts in the state, three of them for trainer Bill Dornauf and three with Mark Yole driving, before heading to Victoria for a trial at Melton in June.

He continued the winning run at Melton in July, winning by 6.7 metres in a career-best 1:52.4, then returned to Hobart in August to win the Tasmanian Derby by 1.4 metres with Kerryn Manning in the sulky. A Vicbred heat win at Kilmore made it eight wins from eight starts before his semi-final defeat.

Enjoy Life was bred by Peter Gleeson, a longtime supporter of the stable, who races him with Emma Stewart’s father, Warren. He has earned $161,560.

His sire, Always B Miki, is also the sire of NZ Cup holder Kingman and Eureka contender Fate Awaits.

He is one of several Stewart-trained horses in the Eureka market, alongside The Last Trip ($4.50), The Art Of Success ($5.50), Brooklyn Dan ($9) and Fox Dan ($9). Stewart trained last year’s winner, Bay Of Biscay.

Enjoy Life is not yet a confirmed slot runner for the Eureka. His next test is the Victoria Derby final at Melton on Saturday night, where he will meet fellow heat winners Brooklyn Dan and Palladium.

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by Harnesslink Media