Bits and Pieces by Terry Gange

Arty party set to keep on, keeping on: Former champion Aussie pacer Lochinvar Art (Modern Art) will be awfully hard to hold out this morning (10.20 am AEST time – Australian coverage on Sky1) as he attempts to keep his unbeaten US streak intact.

Prepared at Pine Bush by in-form trainer Shane Tritton, the eight-year-old harness racing stallion will be driven by his wife Lauren in the third round of the prestigious MGM Borgata series for free-for-allers at the Yonkers Raceway.

“Arty” has won five-from-five for stakes of $US93,750 since his Newcastle owner Kevin Gordon decided to send him over after a mild bleed at Melton. Under US rules, any horse can race on the anti-bleeding agent Lasix under the supervision of a veterinary surgeon.

A winner of over $1M in Down Under, Lochinvar Art put up his best performance last week when he came from midfield and mowed down the leaders in sloppy conditions in 1.52.

After today’s round, the series will continue for another two weeks with the top eight points scorers going into a final on April 25, expected to carry a purse of least $US500,000 (nearly $A750,000).

Gordon has been on a roll lately with Lochinvar Xena (Captaintreacherous) successful at Penrith (March 30) and yesterday at Goulburn (April 3). This afternoon (Apr 4) he will be cheering on Lochinvar Jewells (Bling It On) who is an early favorite in the APG Gold Bullion 2yo Fillies heat at Albion Park.

And the enthusiastic owner was a keen buyer at the Nutrien Yearling Sales in Melbourne at the weekend, parting with a three-figure sum to snap up two nicely-bred colts and a filly.

Phillips bounces back to claim Championship: Energetic Bendigo-based harness racing driver Michelle Phillips aptly describes her recent ride in the sport as something of a roller coaster – featuring both spills and thrills.

A nasty race fall at Ouyen last Sunday week (Mar 26) had Phillips taken to hospital with arm and head injuries, and certainly put in jeopardy a planned trip to Queensland six days later. The 25-year-old admitted she didn’t think she’d be making the trip north to represent Victoria in the Australian Female Drivers Championship.

But, in typical fashion, Phillips bounced back to her best at Albion Park to finish well clear — courtesy of one win and two second placings. Phillips had 51 points, with WA’s Emily Suvaljko, 39, and Tasmania’s Tiarna Ford on 38.

“It was an experience of a lifetime, meeting new people along the way and doing our best to beat the best,” Phillips said later.

“All the messages and phone calls meant so much and a big thanks goes to my support people for believing in me.”

The popular series saw two drivers from each State accumulate points over six races. Last year’s series wasn’t staged because of damaging floods in February.

“Sambo” will be sadly missed: There was bound to be some lovely stories, along with a few humorous ones, when a group of Ouyen Harness Racing Club members got together at the Blackburn Park track to farewell a good mate on Friday (Mar 31) night.

The gathering was to remember popular committee member Peter “Sambo” Saunders, 71, who peacefully lost his battle to cancer on Thursday.

There was hardly an Ouyen harness racing meeting in the past 40 years without “Sambo” being present in some voluntary capacity, including swab attendant and track attendant. His smiling face, and trademark wild long locks, were a fixture at the Mallee meetings, along with his inevitable cheery welcome.

Without fail after you raced, he would ask how you went – and if it wasn’t up to expectation, he would remark: “Well it’s not the end of the world, there’s always next time, isn’t there?”

As an owner, he raced a number of horses over the years and enjoyed success with pacers prepared by his friend Murray Jardine and wife Barbara.

His contributions were not only to the harness racing club, with the huge numbers of tributes telling the story of his commitment to his whole community.

A great many of the things “Sambo” did went unnoticed— but he was happy just to do his bit, and more, with no fanfare. He was the ultimate quiet achiever.

“Sambo’s” funeral will be held on Thursday (Apr 6) at the Ouyen Harness Racing Club at 11am.

by Terry Gange, for Harnesslink