Bishop George salutes at Port Pirie

Talented square gaiter Bishop George (Father Patrick) delivered a lesson to his harness racing opponents at Port Pirie on Saturday.

Trained in partnership at Penfield by Jill Neilson and Katie Wilson, Bishop George did it tough but held on to score a photo finish win in the $9,999 2024 Wingate Farm 3YO Trotters Of The Future final (2050m).

With Katie Wilson driving positively, gelding went forward from gate five, was caught three wide for a brief time before finding the spot outside the leader.

Wilson applied pressure to the leader Can Adel Succeed ($2.20 fav) over the final lap and Bishop George ($2.60) trotted to the front turning for home, before holding off the late charge by Star Of Patrick ($5) to score by a head.

Countess Crusoe ($31) from the Angle Vale stable of trainer-driver Dean Girardi, ran her best race for a while to be 1-1/2 metres away third.

Trainer Jill Neilson said Bishop George was a nice trotter that was still learning and growing.

“He is a big boy but is going to get bigger,” Neilson said.

“George is learning each time he steps out, and Katie has a good association with him as she also drives him in trackwork.

“He is a half-brother to my other good trotters Powderkeg and Lovelorn and has the potential to be the best of the lot.

“I will have a chat with Geoff (Geoff Easom, owner and breeder) but I think we might look to try and pick up his VicBred bonus, whether we take him across or send him to Victoria for a month or so.

“We will also aim towards his age features in South Australia culminating in the Southern Cross series.”

Bishop George has notched three wins and five placings from his 10 starts.

Port Pirie brothers Ryan and Trent Hoare are having plenty of fun since taking up harness racing training just over five months.

For the second week in a row, the brothers went home with a winning double, taking their winner tally to eight.

Hurrikane Dude and Lincs Poor Boy won the previous Saturday, then this week it was Hurrikane Dude again and Grove Dale that were victorious.

Trent Hoare said the brothers had purchased Hurrikane Dude from New South Wales.

“What we liked was that he had recorded good times which we felt would be well suited in South Australia,” Hoare said.

“It has taken us a while to work him out, but he has been enormous the last two weeks.

“We took a bit of added satisfaction on Saturday that his winning mile rate of 1:57.8 was his best ever.

“Credit to Wayne Hill, he has driven him brilliantly in the wins and lifted him over the line on Saturday after racing outside the leader.”

Hurrikane Dude ($5) scored a half neck win in the Harbison Performance Pace (1609m) beating Johnboyazza ($4.40) with Summerdays ($7), 1-1/2 metres away third.

Grove Dale ($4.40) was impressive racing away to an 11-metre win in the S D Caputo & Sons Pace (1609m) defeating Brie ($9) with Majorholenmypocket ($3.30 fav), 1-1/2 metres away third.

“I was a little disappointed with Grove Dale’s fourth last week, but his driver Lisa Ryan said not to read too much into the run,” Hoare said.

“Lisa said when he went to go forward they were running the quickest quarter of the race and she felt he would be hard to beat, and she was a good judge.

“I have to admit when she took off at the 800 (metres) I thought it might have been a bit early, but she knew what she was doing.”

Hoare said Lincs Poor Boy, which finished seventh on Saturday, had pulled up jaded and would now go for a spell.

One of the outstanding drives of the night was by Kevin Weidenbach on Duffy Hollow in the Valley Horse Transport Pace (1609m).

After sitting in the one-out, one-back spot early, Weidenbach sprinted with the Shane Loone-trained Duffy Hollow ($3.70) as the field came off the back straight gaining a 20-metre break on the field.

Sheza Manipulator ($2.70 fav) was held up behind the leader All Aussie Mach ($13) waiting for the sprint lane.

The mare ran home strongly when clear, but Weidenbach’s move had been a winning win and Duffy Hollow won by three metres.

Port Pirie specialist Uncle Chan won his sixth race at the venue in the Ladbrokes Pace (1609m) courtesy of a great drive by Wayne Hill.

Trained by Luke O’Neill, who also had as double winning earlier with Stingofawasp, Uncle Chan ($14) gained a break up the home straight to hold off the fast-finishing Im Themightylucy ($2.20 into $1.70 fav) by 1-1/2 metres in a good mile rate of 1:56.6.

The seven-year-old won at Gawler in October last year but all of his subsequent victories have been at Port Pirie.

Stingofawasp ($18), led early, then took a trail, before coming with a run in the home straight to grab a half neck win in the Spillman Air Trotters Mobile (2050m).

Majestic Tilly ($5.50) found the lead and was well rated by trainer-driver Garth Hurrell and looked the winner before being grabbed by the winner.

Shortest price favourite of the meeting was the Aaron Bain-trained Shezamajorstar at $1.18.

Again, it was a masterclass by Wayne Hill who landed a treble at the meeting.

Hill managed to settle the three-year-old filly one-out, one-back from her back row draw of nine, then sprinted her up over the final 400 metres to easily win the Appreciation From SAHRC to PPHRC Pace (1609m).

For complete race results, click here.

by Graham Fischer for HRSA