Another Group 1 within reach for father and daughter duo

Valerie Lane will be attempting to keep her winning record intact in the Group 1 $50,000 Aldebaran Park Vicbred Platinum Home Grown Classic Final for two-year-old trotting harness racing fillies at Melton’s Tabcorp Park on Saturday night.

The Peter Manning-trained daughter of Father Patrick has made the perfect start to her racing career, winning on debut at Maryborough and then in a heat of this series at Bendigo.

The margins have not been big, but when she’s needed to find something extra she has done exactly that.

Kerryn Manning, who has had the reins in her wins and will again be in the cart in the final, said her father had always been impressed with Valerie Lane.

“She qualified early, but he had to wait a while to get her to the races with races not standing up,” she said.

“So she’s been in work for a while.”

Kerryn said with that time Valerie Lane had developed into a real professional.

“She has good speed and so far has done everything right,” she said.

“We can’t fault her.”

The champion reinswoman was particularly impressed with the way Valerie Lane fought on to hold out a fast-finishing Cognati by a half-head in her heat.

“She was a little lazy in front in her heat, but when the challenge came she found a bit,” she said.

VALERIE LANE HEAT WIN REPLAY

Kerryn believes there is every chance it will be a similar race pattern on Saturday night. If Valerie Lane can hold the lead from the pole, Cognati is again a chance from barrier two to lob on her back.

“I’m looking forward to a good contest,” she said.

The Mannings have had a successful relationship with the family of Valerie Lane. Peter trained and Kerryn drove her dam Valsue to victories, and also had success with Valsue’s half-brother Lord Chancellor.

And of course the father and daughter teamed up to win four Group 1s last year with Valerie Lane’s stablemate Plymouth Chubb, who won a staggering 14 of 15 two-year-old starts.

Saturday night’s 12-race program features six Group 1s, with a second Aldebaran Park Vicbred Platinum Home Grown Classic final for two-year-old trotting colts and geldings, and four APG Vic Gold Bullion finals for two and three-year-old pacers.

To view the fields for Melton on Saturday click here.

by David Brehaut for HRV