Another Major winner in Italian Cup

Super Harness Racing sire Art Major produced a third successive Del-Re National Italian Cup winner on Saturday night with Emma Stewart-trained Major Secret scoring a gate-to-wire victory in the 2240-metre feature.

The multi-millionaire Alabar sire also boasts Cold Major among his progeny, that horse having to settle for third place on Saturday night after successive wins in the Italian Cup in 2013 and 2014.

Major Secret (Art Major/Secret Life) held the lead from the pole for reinsman Chris Alford and posted splits of 29.3s, 29.7s, 28.4s and 27.7s following a comfortable 46.7s lead time to win in a 1:56.3 mile rate.

Driven confidently by Victoria’s leading reinsman, Chris Alford, who won four races at Melton, Major Secret had 1.1m to spare on the line over runner-up Lets Elope.

“He hasn’t had to run the gate for a long time, tonight he did and he kept going strong all the way and he was still strong on the line,” Alford said.

“When he got away at the top of the straight he sort of waited a little bit and Lets Elope started to come back the inside and he sort of dug in again the last 50m.”

LISTEN TO CHRIS ALFORD SPEAK AFTER MAJOR SECRET'S WIN

Alford is tied with Gavin Lang on the SBG Accountants Metropolitan Drivers Premiership, both with 32 wins, four clear of Greg Sugars. Lang and Alford of course finished tied for last year’s metro title.

Alford is a clear frontrunner in the Melton Saddlery State Drivers Premiership on 215 wins, with Sugars second on 178 wins.

Smythes Creek’s Stewart is a tearaway leader in the Taylors Metropolitan Trainers Premiership on 47 wins, 25 clear of Avenel’s David Aiken.

Stewart also holds a commanding lead in the Renown Silverware State Trainers Premiership with 152 wins, Long Forest’s Andy Gath in second place with 89 wins.

Stewart produced a winning treble on Saturday night at headquarters with Jet Black Shadow (Jeremes Jet/Homin The Shade) and Berisari (Safari/Beris Holmes) winning in addition to Major Secret.

Art Major is leading the Sires Premiership with 172 wins, with Bettors Delight second on 154 wins and Courage Under Fire third on 113 wins.

On Thunder Road (Bettors Delight/All The Way Home) won the night’s other feature event, the Group 3 Wagon Apollo Trotters Free for All at Melton, rating 1:58.9 for the 2240m trip for trainer/driver Darren Hancock.

Cody Winnell