Sam Nien and Gatesys Gem win APG Trot Finals

Outsider Sam Nien (Volstead) upset his more fancied harness racing rivals with an inside run to take out the APG VicBred Final for four year old entires and geldings at Melton on Saturday night.

The race was considered a match event between Alrighty and New South Wales visitor I Am Hellbound. And when the latter swept through the field early on to take the lead without any effort he looked to be the one to beat.

SAM NIEN 19 SEP REPLAY

As it turned out it was a wise move by Sam Nien’s driver Blake Pace to give up the lead and take the trail. Alrighty was one out and two back and when Kate Gath let him go along the back straight he raced up to issue a challenge.

But I Am Hellbound still had plenty in reserve and driver Scott Hewitt must have felt confident as they straightened. However Sam Nien whose form of late had only been average lifted and under Pace’s urgent driving he gathered in I Am Hellbound in the last 50 metres to prevail with Ijustcalledtosay coming from well back for a strong third ahead of Alrighty.

Blake Pace was overwhelmed at his initial Group 1 success.

I can’t believe it, to be honest. I’m lost for words, if you can’t tell.

You go into these races, you know you see horses like Alrighty and I Am Hellbound, what they’ve been doing over the last few months, and you dream a little bit. But you always believe it’s going to be a dream until he was just traveling off the two big guns back, and I thought, “He’s traveling too good here not to run on.” And took him the straight to get past them, but he dug in deep and its good for us. Good training effort by Dad. Been playing with his gear over the last 12 months. There’s been a lot of people doubting him, and he’s showed them he’s still the horse he was 12 months ago.

I think he just came in this prep a bit heavier than what he used to be. Just tinkering with a bit of gear, like he’s got the blocks on tonight, which I think really helped him find the line. And changing different ways, working him, asking for different opinions, shoeing, everything in between. It’s been a big effort to get him to where he is now.

The mares division was won by Gatesys Gem (Aldebaran Eagle) who led all the way to defeat her arch rival I Am Wilma. Driver Nathan Jack took Gatesys Gem to the front and she always looked the one to beat after I Am Wilma was forced to face the breeze.

Keayang Kurki had the one out and one back trail. I Am Wilma tried valiantly to match it to Gatesys Gem but the latter always had her measure and at the finish won by just under three metres with Keayang Kurki third.

GATESYS GEM 19 SEP REPLAY

As a three year old Gatesys Gem won both the New South Wales Trotters Oaks and Trotters Derby and was runner up in the Victoria Trotters Derby before being placed in two New Zealand feature events.

Nathan Jack gave credit to Glenn Hunter.

She’s a filly that I’ve had a long association with since she was two, and I never had that  much to do with Glenn until this mare come on the scene, and she was a good two-year-old and I kept saying to him, “I’ll drive her for you one day.” And as it turns out, I drive her all the time. So, he’s a good mate of mine now and great to drive for and I’ve got to give all the credit to the Hunter family. I only just jump on race day.

I Am Wilma lost nothing in her gallant second. Trainer Chris Lang and driver Chris Alford have a high opinion of I Am Wilma and assuming they are correct she should work her way through the classes and make her presence felt in forthcoming classics.

For complete race entries, click here.

by Tony Milanese for Harnesslink