Captain Perfect rules the roost

Lightly raced harness racing colt Captain Perfect (Captaintreacherous) showed signs of better things to come when he scored an impressive all the way win in the $25,000 Alabar Vicbred Platinum Homegrown Classic 2YO Colts and Geldings Final at Melton last night.

In his heat, Captain Perfect sat behind Ronnie the Hammer and had to be content with second placing but last night he turned the tables by showing blistering speed to take up the running.

Favourite Ronnie The Hammer also showed great pace early but after finding the leader his driver Nathan Jack was content to take a trail behind Captain Perfect who found his way to the lead.

Mark Pitt on Captain Perfect allowed his colt to run along freely and he moved clear along the back straight with Ronnie the Hammer in hot pursuit.

Ronnie the Hammer momentarily looked as if he would make a race of it on straightening but Captain Perfect kept running and he ran away a determined winner over Ronnie the Hammer with Exclusive Hustler who had been racing back on the rails a distant third. Fire Marshall who was well back and out wide finished on well for fourth.

A front-running drive by Mark Pitt has seen the reinsman square up at the top of the Victorian metropolitan drivers’ premiership and win the Alabar Vicbred Platinum Homegrown Classic for two-year-old Colts and Geldings Final with Captain Perfect for trainer Emma Stewart. pic.twitter.com/CV235rzyFp

— The Trots (@TheTrotsComAu) December 21, 2024

Mark Pitt stated after the race: “It sort of looked like Ronnie the Hammer was going to cross me and it was getting a bit tight so I sort of thought I elected to ease out of it and then I thought once I sort of got clear room I was going to drive him like the best horse. I sort of just kept him rolling strong. You know it can take a bit of sting out of them speedy ones. I reckon he’s one of these horses that seems to have a lot more stamina than speed.

“He can be a bit of a handful at times I think he’s going to a pretty serious horse. He’s got to be up with the better ones but I don’t like comparing them.”

Trained by Emma Stewart at Cardigan Captain Perfect looks a potential Derby prospect when he returns as a three year old.

For complete race results, click here.

by Tony Milanese, for Harnesslink