Country Cups – Ubetcha

MICHEAL Stanley is pursuing a harness racing country cups trail with his emerging pacer Ubetcha Tigerpie (Betting Line) who led at the way in the Benstud Standardbred Pace at Melton.

Runner up in his past three outings at Melton, Ubetcha Tigerpie mustered sufficient early speed to cross the $2.50 favorite Little Louie from his mid-front row draw in a  27.9 first quarter of the 1720 metre sprint trip.

Those back in the field made little impression on Ubetcha Tigerpie ($10) who reeled off a slick 26.8 last 400 metres to score with authority from Little Louie in a mile rate of 1:52.3.

Ubetcha Tigerpie was victorious tonight in the Benstud Standardbreds Pace. The Michael Stanley-prepared gelding was impressive! pic.twitter.com/8v8jCN6408

— The Trots (@TheTrotsComAu) July 6, 2024

“With the progress he has made over the past 12 months I think he deserves a crack at the country cups,” Stanley said.

Ubetcha Tigerpie is out of the Group 1 winning mare Blucolla Tigerpie who is a half sister to the multiple Group winner Rackemup Tigerpie.

Later in the night the lightly raced four-year-old Exotic Bushranger completed a double for the Stanley stable when he scored a comfortable all the way win in the Garrards Horse & Hound Pace.

While happy with the win, Stanley is concerned the son of Pet Rock is progressing too quickly through his classes.

“He has the ability to go a bit further than Ubetcha Tigerpie but he’s already a NR76 after only nine starts,” he said.

“If he wins another one at Melton where do we go?

 Because then he’s going to have to race against the open class pacers.”

For complete race results, click here.

by John Dunne, for Harnesslink