Second round trotting heats review ID23

The Chris Lang and Sonia Mahar trained Ollivici (Orland Vici) continues to emerge during the harness racing series making it back to back heat wins in the Inter Dominion Trotting Championship at Albion Park. 

Sent out a $6.50 chance in the fourth heat, Ollivici had the task of taking the rest of the field up to the $1.50 favorite Queen Elida and Gus who partook in a two horse war during the first lap of the race. 

Just when Queen Elida was being hailed the winner, Ollivici and Lang thundered down the middle of the home straight to grab victory by a short half head with Gus a metre away third in a mile rate of 1:56.2. 

Lang said the win wasn’t as straight forward as it appeared. 

“It wasn’t that easy as I had to do all the donkey work bringing the others up to the two tear away leaders,” Lang said. 

OLIVICI REPLAY

Lang was delighted with the performance of the five-year-old son of Orlando Vici. 

“He had to sustain a long run and then go three wide on the bend- he did very well,” he said. 

The remaining heat may well have provided a preview for the Grand Final when the series favorite Just Believe (Orland Vici) and opening round heat winner Plymouth Chubb engaged in a battle royal all the way down the Albion Park home straight. 

The pair cleared out from their rivals around the home turn and it was Just Believe who poked his head in front in the shadows of the post scoring by a neck with another Victorian Mufasa Metro nine metres away third. 

JUST BELIEVE REPLAY

The win provided stallion Orlando Vici with a clean sweep of the night’s heats. 

Sugars said Just Believe’s will to win was evident from when the horse first arrived at Larajay. 

“It was one of the first things that struck us when we first got this horse was that he can be a bit casual at times but when the business end is there he just goes to another level and you don’t really have to ask him,” Sugars said. 

“And you can’t train that into them, they have either got that or they haven’t and thankfully he’s got it,” he said. 

“He’s an all-round package and we’re thrilled to bits to have him.”   

For complete race results, click here.

by John Dunne, for Harnesslink