Crossland eyes Group One win

The Bendigo harness racing trainer learned a valuable lesson when his smart trotter Rules Don't Apply was going through the sales.

"I liked his breeding and I spoke to the people who were yearling preparing the horse,'' Crossland said.

"I did a fair bit of homework on the horse, but when the photos of the horses came out for the sale catalogue I put a line through him because I really wasn't impressed with the way he looked.

"We went to the sales, went through our pics and a couple of the horses we really liked sold for overs so we let them go.

"One of my owners was with me and he said 'have a look at that horse'. It was this horse and he looked completely different to what he did in the photos.

"I inspected him and he was what we wanted. We bid on him and we were happy with the price we got him for.

"I learned a lesson not to go by the photos and the rest is history."

Rules Don't Apply has developed into one of the best three-year-old trotters in Victoria.

On Thursday night he's $3.50 second favourite in the $100,000 Group One Vicbred Super Series Final.

This campaign the gelding has had eight starts for four wins, two second placings and a fourth.

His only "failure" was in the Group One Breeders Crown Final where he had no luck in running and was nearly knocked over.

Cover Of Darkness is the horse to beat in the 3YO Trotters Final. Picture: STUART McCORMICK

He won impressively at Maryborough last start to earn his place in the final, but had to overcome a tricky draw of gate five on Thursday night.

"We were tickled pink with his win last week and he came through that run really well,'' Crossland said.

"We always say that if you don't get (gates) one, two or eight, the rest are fairly similar. You haven't had a good or bad draw until after the race.

"He's quite a versatile horse, if anything he's probably not as strong at leading because he has a tendency to knock off a bit.

"We'll let the cards unfold and take it from there. He has gate speed, so if not too many go forward we could push forward with him."

A Group One victory would put the icing on a successful 2020 for the Crossland stable.

"We've had a good season with horses off low marks and the regional racing helped us,'' Crossland said.

"Not too many people could say they've had a good 2020, but to this point it's been fairly good for us."

Crossland drives Rules Don't Apply in the third event at Melton at 6.33pm. The favourite for the race is the Emma Stewart-trained Cover Of Darkness, who has eight wins from as many starts.

Cover Of Darkness has drawn gate 10.

By Adam Bourke

Reprinted with permission of The Bendigo Advertiser