‘Chucky’ shows brilliant turn of foot to win Cup

Brilliant gelding Keayang Chucky (Love You) scored a stunning harness racing win from a 50-metre handicap to go back-to-back in the Alexandra House Hamilton Trotters Cup (Jan 12) obliterating his opposition and the track record in the process!

“He was probably the class runner of the field, because he’s come out of running in all the big open class trot races and going really well against the elite horses, but it was really only that big handicap that was the question,” driver Jason Lee said.

“But they bowled along in front, and he went super today,” said Lee, who drove a perfectly measured and patient race.

Super is an understatement.

With the front-row and 10-metre runners beginning smartly and setting a quick tempo, Keayang Chucky began well from his back-mark. At one stage he was seventh and 50 metres from the leading group, but with a lap and a half to go, the field bunched and Lee was able to take a nice trail up to the leaders from the bell in the one-out two-back position.

Keayang Chucky looked ominous a long way from home and powered home in the straight with a brilliant turn of foot to score by 11 metres from stablemate Aldebaran Vera (Glen Craven).

OUTSTANDING!🏆
Keayang Chucky defied a 50-metre handicap to claim the Alexandra House Sports Club Hamilton Trotters Cup today, securing a thrilling win for trainers Marg and Paddy Lee, with driver Jason Lee taking the reins. pic.twitter.com/lySPQohMm6

— The Trots (@TheTrotsComAu) January 12, 2025

The striking six-year-old chestnut gelding stopped the clock at an incredible 1:58.2 for the 2660 metre standing start event, smashing the previous track record of 2:01.1.

The runner up to The Locomotive in the Trotters Inter Dominion at Menangle a month ago, co-trainer Paddy Lee believes the tough Inter campaign “seasoned” Keayang Chucky, who won last year’s edition of the Hamilton Cup from a 20-metre mark.

“To come back here 12 months later and do it again is a really good effort – he had a bit more of a handicap to overcome but he went really well today,” he said.

The domination of Keayang Chucky in the $20,000 Hamilton feature, and the fact that Lee decided against contesting the Ballarat Cup (Jan 18) underscores the depth of talent in Victorian square gaiting ranks.

“We were looking to go to Ballarat but Chris Svanosio’s probably going to take Arcee Phoenix there and he’s on the march, so we decided to come this way,” Paddy Lee said.

by Terry Gange, for Harnesslink