Emma and Kate Set to dominate at Melton

Emma Stewart and Kate Gath look set to combine and cap a remarkable week for female Aussie harness racing stars by winning the feature race at Melton on Saturday night.

Jess Tubbs kicked things off when she teamed with husband Greg Sugars and their star trotter Just Believe (Orlando Vici) to run a slashing third against some of the world’s best trotters in Sweden last Saturday night.

Less than 10 hours later, former NSW driver Lauren Tritton – now based in the US with husband Shane – created history as the first female to win the big $A300,000 Battle of Lake Erie pace in Ohio with one-time Victorian pacing hero Lochinvar Art.

Then, Australia’s greatest trailblazing female harness star, Kerryn Manning, was fittingly recognised in the King’s Birthday honours by being appointed a Member in the General Division of the Order of Australia (OAM).

The 47-year-old, who has rewritten just about every driving record in the sport, was blown away by the honour and subsequent support.

“It came out of the blue. It’s not something I ever thought I’d be nominated for, let alone get,” she said. “It’s all quite surreal.”

Manning will be one of nine female drivers in action at Melton on Saturday night.

While Tubbs also has a Melton runner with Copacabana from gate one in the Noopy Kiosk free-for-all (race four), her major focus will be on Just Believe again as he completes his three-race Swedish campaign at Boden on Sunday morning (Melbourne time).

Stewart, Australia’s most influential trainer, has three of the eight runners in the feature, the $30,000 Cinderella Stakes (1720m) for mares.

Fittingly, Manning will drive one of them, Beach Life from gate four.

Stable driver Mark Pitt will partner Petillante from barrier six, while Gath will be aboard commanding favourite Encipher (Captaintreacherous) from gate seven.

The South Australian owned-and-bred Encipher boasts 14 wins, seven seconds and a third from just 23 starts and has banked $553,099.

Despite the wide draw, she looks a standout again on Saturday as she prepares for a Queensland raid with many of Stewart’s other stable stars.

Encipher will be running for more than just first prize this week as victory would strongly enhance her prospects of contesting the $350,000 Group 1 Rising Sun at Albion Park on July 8 and also of attracting interest from the remaining slot holders in the inaugural $2.1mil TAB Eureka at Menangle on September 2.

Being a four-year-old mare, Encipher fits the mould of both winners of the Rising Sun since it was first held in 2021. Amazing Dream won the first and Encipher’s stablemate, Ladies In Red, was victorious last year.

Harness Racing Victoria has named Melton’s seventh race the Congratulations Kerryn Manning OAM Pace and it’s only fitting Stewart and Gath will team up with the favourite in that race, too. Dannemora is unbeaten in four runs since coming across from NZ and looks a standout again despite gate six.

For complete race entries, click here.

by Adam Hamilton, for Harness Racing Australia