Craig misses career best by a whisker

Bulleen harness racing driver Craig Hoban had day out at Melton last weekend-and the narrowest of margins cost him a personal best achievement.

With a winning double to his name, landing early victories for his well-known training father Gary, the stage was set for Craig to post his first-ever treble.

"I knew our horse Rockingwithsierra would give her usual solid performance, but I also had a lot of respect for Where's Seggy, trained by Joe Pace," Craig said.

"He's a nice three-year-old and when he gets to the front, he's hard to get past. I know some of Joe's really good ones at home have trouble in running him down," he said.

"I did think for a split second during the race that I may have had a chance, but with an easy first half, we were always going to go quick up the home straight.

"The last half was 56.6 with a final quarter of 27.5 so we probably did well to get within a half head-but our horse is going super because that was her fifth consecutive second placing."

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Rockingwithsierra (by Sportswriter) is out of the great producing mare Sierra Tango and has been a terrific asset for the stable, with two wins and nine placings for $57,000 in stakes.

She won the $30,000 Gold Chalice Melbourne last December, then finished third in the Victorian Oaks in January behind Dr Susan. The filly then didn't disappoint in a NSW Oaks heat running midfield in a leader dominated race. She was sent for a spell, and finished fourth first up, before her series of runner-up performances.

Craig said the winning double was only the second he'd ever landed.

"A treble would have been great. I did that once at the trials, but at least I've still got one up on dad and Uncle Shane, who have never got winning doubles. Dad did get close, though when he landed a winner at a day meeting, and then got another that night," he said.

Winners for the Hoban stable at the Melton fixture were trotting mare Orlandos Princess (Skyvalley-Orlandos Dream (Earl) and three-year-old gelding Mister Macedon (Betterthancheddar-Black And Yellow (Modern Art).

"The win by Mister Macedon was a bit special because he's the first horse that Uncle Shane has bred and owned. And in addition, the horse is the first foal out of Black And Yellow," Craig said.

Mister Macedon

"He's won two trials and started as the race favorite, but he really hasn't got much idea about it yet. When I pulled him out mid-race I was aiming for the death-seat but he had some momentum up, so I zipped to the front.

"He was having his first start and he won nicely. Shane took a little break from the sport for a while, but he's been back helping us for four or five months. It's so good to have him around because he keeps things ticking along and he's terrific when it comes to knowing the form of the other runners in the fields."

Craig said the dam Black And Yellow was a promising type as a youngster, but injury had limited her race potential.

"Bill Le Sueur and the late Howard Taylor, used to break our horses in. Bill broke this one in and really liked her. We were fairly excited to try her because he's a good judge," Craig said.

"A storm ripped through his place and she got seriously injured and needed 12 months off. Shane did win four or five with her but he was always up against it with all her scar tissue problems.

"She was the best-looking horse we've ever trained-a magnificent looking animal and jet black like Black Caviar."

Five-year-old square gaiter Orlandos Princess won her fourth race from 24 starts when she overcame a 10-metre handicap and early interference, to score impressively in the Aldebaran Park Trotters Handicap.

"That was her second start back after having a throat operation and we were all pretty rapt. She actually has an unbelievable strike rate with two wins and a second placing from three starts when she's been second-up from a break," Craig said.

"I was a little bit worried over the last 100 metres because she seemed to be tippy-toeing, but she kept plugging away and we got there okay in the end," he said.

Orlandos Princess

The Hoban team has seven in work as well as working with two yearlings. They have also been busy getting a handful of broodmares ready for the coming breeding season.

But despite the slim race-stock numbers, both Craig and Gary are again featuring remarkably high on the driving and training strike-rate tables. Craig has driven six winners with nine placings, while Gary has prepared eight winners and 23 placings, meaning both finish in the top three 50 percent of the time.

"We are restricted to competing at just Melton and Cranbourne at the moment, but it's starting to come together for us now," Craig said.

Terry Gange

NewsAlert PR Mildura