Michael Heaton | Photo: Gloucester Park Harness Racing
American Ideal four-year-old American Arma brought up a winning hat-trick at Gloucester Park on Friday night when taking out the featured $50,000 Group 2 TABradio APG Series 30 4YO Consolation Final (1730m).
Trained and driven by Colin Brown, the talented bay was backed from $5 into $3.30 before jumping from barrier three and settling in the one-out and one-back position.
Brown peeled the mare out four-wide approaching the home turn and she hit the front on straightening before pulling away to score a dominant 3.6-metre win over Sound Wave ($12), with more than 16 metres back to the third-placed Chance Eclipse ($71).
American Arma has now had 19 career starts for eight wins, seven minor placings and $90,799 in stake earnings.
It was the first leg of a training double for Brown after his three-year-old filly Loucid Dreams produced an all-the-way win in The Tim Walker 3YO Pace (2536m) later in the night.
Starting a $2.40 favourite with Michael Grantham in the sulky, the daughter of Sweet Lou held the lead from the pole position and was able to fend off Paul Edward ($2.50) by a head on the line.
Brown guided stablemate Arma Xfactor ($10) into third place, beaten 3.4 metres at the finish.
It was also a top night for Grantham, who landed a winning treble aboard Jack Farthing, Valbonne and Loucid Dreams from only four drives.
The dual-code horseman kicked off his night in the best way possible when leading from go-to-whoa aboard $1.32 favourite Jack Farthing in The Sports Daily On TABradio Pace (2536m).
The Justin Prentice-trained gelding produced a peak performance at his fourth run back from a spell but created some nervous moments for punters when tiring over the final stages to defeat Beat City ($8.50) by a head.
Grantham’s second win of the night came after producing a class driving display aboard Valbonne ($6) in The Aftermath On TABradio Pace (2130m).
Despite drawing barrier seven and having his first start in more than five weeks, trainer Lisa Walton had the seven-year-old raring to go as he unleashed a devastating finish from back in the field.
Grantham settled the son of Mach Three one-out and three-back from the wide draw before peeling out down the back straight of the final lap and letting go with a big run to level up to the leader and race-favourite Mcardles Gem ($2.25) turning for home.
He sprinted away from his rivals in the straight to score by almost eight metres in one of the most impressive performances of the night.
Lindsay Harper also continued his good form in the cart when bringing up a winning double with Eldaytona and While They Pray.
Harper has driven 18 winners from 90 metropolitan drives so far this season, striking at 20 per cent, and landed Eldaytona’s eight win from his past 11 starts when taking out the Talking Trots Podcast Pace (2130m).
The Somebeachsomewhere four-year-old started a $1.85 favourite after dropping in class from his runner-up finish to Typhoon Banner seven days prior and led from barrier-to-box from barrier four to score by five metres.
Ima Rockabilly Rebel ($4.60) finished in second place, with second-favourite Blitzembye ($3) a neck away in third.
The prolific-winning Eldaytona has now tasted success on 11 occasions and has finished in the first two placings at 23 of his 28 starts.
Two races later Harper produced a clever drive aboard Michael George’s gelding While They Prey ($6) when crossing the field from barrier six and holding off his more-fancied rivals in the straight.
The son of Alta Christiano hung on to defeat Double Up ($3.30) by a short-half-head, with race-favourite Born To Boogie ($2.70) a further one-and-a-half metres away in third place.
The win was While They Prey’s second from his past three starts and his 16th from 37 career outings, with earnings now totalling $163,888.
Meanwhile, Suvaljko brothers Shannon and Callan produced a fitting result in the Vale Josh Dun Pace (2130m) when landing the quinella in the race named in honour of their nephew who tragically lost his life the week before.
Shannon got the better of his sibling when scoring his second-straight win aboard the Mike Reed-trained Caveman, who was heavily supported from $10 into $5 in betting.
The Somebeachsomewhere five-year-old crossed to the breeze from barrier six to sit outside of race-favourite Euphoria ($2.20), who was driven by Callan, before getting the upper hand on straightening and lifting late to win by just over two metres.
Caveman has now won 16 of his 48 starts and accumulated $144,311 in stake earnings.
Earlier in the night, trainer-driver Aiden De Campo’s gelding Pradason continued his top form when scoring his fourth win from his past five starts in The Retravision Gloucester Park Preview Pace (2536m).
After going 17 starts without a win, the Shadow Play five-year-old is now racing in career-best form after confidence-boosting wins at Gloucester Park, Wagin and Bunbury prior to Friday night’s success.
Starting a raging $1.32 favourite, De Campo held the lead from barrier one and never looked in danger as he coasted to a 4.2-metre victory over Moonlite Drive ($6.50).
The next race saw junior driver, Kyle Symington, land big bets aboard the Ryan-Bell trained Miss Limelight in the One Out One Back On TABradio Pace (2130m).
The Bettors Delight five-year-old jumped from barrier five in a second-horse field after being backed from $12 into $4.80 second-favouritism.
Symington settled the mare one-out and one-back before letting go with a big run and collaring $1.22 favourite Booraa in the closing stages to win by just under two metres.
It was Miss Limelight’s second win from her past three starts and takes her career record to 42 starts for 12 victories, 11 minor placings and $108,486 in stake earnings.
Dylan Egerton-Green rounded out the 10-race program with an emphatic win aboard Quartzz in The Digby Beacham 2YO Pace (2130m).
The Donald Harper-trained filly justified her $1.60 favouritism with a dominant 12.8-metre win over Ekara Navajo ($7.50) and kept her undefeated record in-tact after two career starts.
This Friday night will see the running of the Harry Capararo Westbred 4YO & 5YO Mares Pace (2130m) at Gloucester Park.