Terang border-dash can be an Affair to remember

Kevin Von Duve has sights set on stealing the Terang Co-Op Terang Pacing Cup with his harness racing gelding Springfield Affair (Shadow Play).

The South Australian will be hoping the trip across the border can yield success in the $40,000 feature this Saturday night.

Von Duve is confident his gelding can bring his A game in the big country feature with Lochie Cook booked to pilot.

“No problem with travel, he is jumping out of his skin,” he said. “I gave him a bit of an easier week after his last couple of runs at Melton were pretty solid.”

The six-year-old’s last run was in the Betavet Pace at Melton on A G Hunter Cup night when he finished third behind the Michael Stanley-prepared Ubetcha Tigerpie.

Springfield Affair has barrier one on Saturday night and is currently a $51 chance, with comeback pacer Fides ($2.80), Group 1 winner Beyond Delight ($3.60) and the first-up District Attorney ($4.60) on the first few lines of betting.

“When I put him in, I was hoping that I drew good. I wouldn’t put him in it if I didn’t draw good,” he said.” He is probably a little bit out of his class until he improves.

“If I didn’t draw either one or two, I probably would have pulled out. It would have been too hard.”
The 2680m distance of the Terang Cup is a step-up from the gelding’s last three runs in Victoria, but according to the 65-year-old it should play to his strengths.

“If he can sit on the fence, the distance doesn’t seem to worry him much,” he said. “Hopefully he can get a cozy run in there and be there at the finish.”

Von Duve believes the son of Shadow Play has a bright future ahead of him.

“He’s on the improve I think. He has just turned six and he has got real stallion attributes,” he said. “I’m just happy to poke along with him at the moment and see if I can mix it with these better ones.
“Saturday night will be his biggest test and he is getting stronger and stronger. I am quite excited for what the future holds.”

A win in Saturday’s Terang Cup would be a dream come true for the South Australian horseman.
“It would be unbelievable if I could win something like that,” he said.

The Emma Stewart-trained Hesallmuscle is favourite in the squaregaiting feature of the night, the Morsbearings Terang Trotters Cup.

Hesallmuscle will join the Brent Lilley-trained Kyvalley Hotspur ($8.00) and Paddy Lee-prepared Keayang Ignite ($2.90) and Keayang Chucky ($2.70) off the 10m handicap.

For complete race entries, click here.

by Lachlan Mitchell, for Harness Racing Victoria