The Beast is back

Robyns Playboy (Shadow Play), affectionally known as the ‘Beast from the East,’ returned to winning form today (Jan. 28) at the Wairio Trotting Club harness racing meeting at Winton.

“He turned a corner last week and this week he’s been back to his old self and feeling super,” said co-trainer Chris Wilson after the seven year old won the $20,000 Otautau Four Square Supermarket Wairio Cup.

Wilson was at a loss to explain the drop off in form for the thirteen win pacer who last won at the Tuapeka meeting in October.

“To be honest the whole team has been a bit flat. Last week we noticed they started to improve and this week they’ve gone a lot better. They all must have had some issue. The grass may have been shooting through them a bit.”

In today’s feature pace the eight runners settled in single file with the pace set by Mach Quillan (Mach Three). Robyns Playboy was fourth on the running line. At the 400 driver Mark Hurrell moved the seven year old out to sit parked with the two favourites Macandrew Aviator (Panspacificflight) and Sand Wave (Somebeachsomewhere) on his back.

Turning in, Hurrell activated the head gear, quickly mastered Mach Quillan and held out late charges from Macandrew Aviator and Sand Wave.

The margins were three quarters of a length and a nose with the winning time 2-55.7 with the last half cut out in a sizzling 55.1. The time bettered Vintage Cheddar’s (Betterthancheddar) Open male times for 2400 metres of 2-56.8 and was just outside of Delightful Memphis’s (Bettor’s Delight) all commers record of 2-55.5.

ROBYNS PLAYBOY REPLAY

For complete race results, click here.

by Bruce Stewart, for Harnesslink