Champion 4yo’s winning return

Champion four-year-old Lochinvar Art resumed with an easy win in the Your Sold Real Estate Pace at Shepparton last night.

The powerful four-year-old son of Modern Art had classes on his rivals (pictured) as expected as a $1.20 favourite, eventually ripping home in 55.3 seconds, but seemingly doing so in second gear – if that – rating 1:56.5 over 2190m for trainer-driver David Moran.

The runner-up, Leonidas, was gutsy to finish just 5.1m from the 4YO Bonanza and Chariots of Fire champ, who was coming off a second placing in the Miracle Mile.

Lochinvar Art’s victory was one of two for Moran, who produced a confident steer to guide Benatar home in the Hunter Rural Pace for trainer John Hallam.

Meanwhile, impressive trotter Cracker Jet notched his second win at start number five in the MyRide Shepparton Trotters Handicap.

The son of Quaker Jet out of Win Winnie Win – an Angus Hall daughter whose siblings include prolific winners Mister Gunsen, Tsonga and Dougie – appreciated the steer of Josh Aiken to overhaul Morgan Mylee by 2.8m.

Bred and raced by Sheron Park, and trained by Patrick Ryan, Cracker Jet rated 2:07.3 for the standing-start 2190m race.

The victory was the first leg of a winning double for Aiken, who later piloted star sprinter Big Jack Hammer home in the Saddleworld Shepparton Trotters Handicap for trainer David Aiken.

Big Jack Hammer went 2:01.5 to hold off the very much in-form Col Du Galibier by a neck.

Other winners included well-backed Rockin In Memphis for trainer Glenn Freeman and driver Ryan Sanderson in the Alabar Pace, Just Ralph for trainer Russell Jack and driver Rebecca Bartley in the Shepparton BMW 3YO Pace, Mamas New Dude for trainer-driver Laura Crossland in the Neatline Homes Pace, and Casting Shadow for trainer Mark Watson and driver Abbey Turnbull in the Barastoc Pace.

First-Starter Form

A quick guide to today’s horses making their trots debut

Stawell today

Race 3

Shezarocknrollin (4yo mare by Rock N Roll Heaven out of Shezahighlander)

Trained by Darren Cole and driven by Grant Campbell, this mare is out of a five-time winning daughter of The Falcon Strike, who was a half-sister to multiple winners Lively Highlander and Highlander Carl.

A Vapar Storm (4yo gelding by Tell All out of Miss Emjay)

Trained by Ashleigh Herbertson and driven by James Herbertson, this gelding is out of a Zyuganov Leis mare in Miss Emjay who won one race.

Tabcorp Park Melton

Race 3

Roi Du Soleil (3yo gelding by Danny Bouchea out of Rockin Wilma)

Trained and driven by Justin Livingstone of Sunbury, this gelding is out of Conch Deville mare Rockin Wilma, who won 10 races from 104 starts and rated 2:02.9. This is Rockin Wilma’s first foal to the races.

HRV Trots Media – Cody Winnell