Emma ticks over 2600 winners

A Group 1 double at Menangle tonight has given premier Victorian harness racing trainer Emma Stewart 2600 winners.

Heading to the races tonight, the 40-year-old horsewoman was sitting on 2599 winners.

Stewart came out and trained both winners of the $210,000 Australian Pacing Gold Bullion Four-Year-old Finals with Tough Tilly and Beyond Delight at Menangle plus trained a treble back in Victoria at Melton.

Fresh after training a record nine winners at one meeting at Launceston last month, Stewart’s dual state demolition job started with Rock N Roll Heaven gelding Cant Top This at Melton with driver Mark Pitt at the reins.

Just 20 minutes later Tough Tilly took out the APG Bullion Final for the mares (see Harnesslink story here) and 30 minutes after that, Beyond Delight won the APG Bullion Final for the boys.

Soon after Captaintreacherous mare Treachery won at Melton and then Stewart’s Majestic Son mare Banglez rounded out Stewart’s winning spree.

Beyond Delight gave Stewart her 98th Group 1 winner.

Driven by Greg Sugars, the Bettors Delight entire gained a perfect trip in the one-one to win the feature by more than three metres over Drain The Swamp and Mighty Ronaldo.

With the quarters run in 26.6, 30.4, 27.3 and 27.3 seconds, the mile rate of 1:51.6 was a personal best for Beyond Delight.

“Right from day one as a two-year-old he’s just had brilliant speed,” said Sugars.

“His last couple of starts he’s just been awesome.

“Full credit to Emma and Clayton (Tonkin) they are masters at what they do especially with juvenile horses.

“He was quite wayward early on but now that he is putting it all together I wouldn’t be surprised if he takes out a really, really, big race at some stage.”

To view the results from Menangle on Saturday night click here.

To view the results from Melton on Saturday night click here.

By Amanda Rando for Harnesslink