Fitting success for first Group 1 win

Rodney Petroff held his whip aloft as he crossed the line for a maiden Group 1 harness racing training success at Tabcorp Park Melton on Saturday night (Aug. 13).

Petroff was at the controls behind recent stable acquisition Used To Be A Maid (Used To Me), who was having just her second run since leaving Michael Hughes’ care when she sprint-laned to victory in the Australasian Premier Trotting Sale 3YO Trotting Fillies Final.

The 41-year-old horseman’s only prior elite level success in the sulky came with Hughes-trained Is That A Bid in the 2020 Vicbred Super Series 3YO Trotting Colts and Geldings Final.

“Mick (Hughes) has sort of moved on to a new phase in his life, I suppose, and I think he might have sold his property where he’s at,” Petroff said.

“The horses that he had just had to transfer to different trainers, and (wife) Jo and I, we were lucky enough to get this filly as well as another two-year-old.

“We’ve been very fortunate and very lucky to get her.”

Petroff was quick to pay tribute to his wife, who he says is a backbone of the operation in Lancefield.

“I know my name is down as trainer, but she’s just as big a part of it as what I am,” he said.

“I probably couldn’t do it without her, so it’s just very humbling to get the win for both of us.”

Used To Be A Maid ran second in the heat of the series at Maryborough on August 3 and was able to turn the tables on favourite Just A Bit Touchy (Andy and Kate Gath) by trailing her for much of the race from the inside draw.

The filly sprinted past Just A Bit Touchy in the straight to win by just over 3m, with Lindys Love (Blake Fitzpatrick/Greg Sugars) third.

Used To Be A Maid won three of her six starts while trained by Hughes, with the last of those coming at Ballarat in May.

USED TO BE A MAID REPLAY

“It was a bit nerve-racking. When Mick moved her on to us, (she’d) won her last three and was hitting the peak of her powers (at) her last start,” Petroff said.

“It was just lucky for us that we could just maintain her, just keep her happy.

“She was switched on a lot more tonight than she was at Maryborough, so the run did her really good and it was just very pleasing that we’ve been able to keep her up to that level.”

Later in the night, Daryl Douglas returned to the Group 1 spotlight with victory in the Australasian Premier Trotting Sale 3YO Trotting Colts and Geldings Final.

Douglas partnered Chris Lang-trained More Wanted (Creatine) to a 14.2m victory, with Hautacam (Matthew Craven) second and Keayang Chucky (Paddy Lee/Jason Lee) third.

More Wanted drifted back to last from his barrier three draw, but Douglas made a mid-race move and had the horse in front at the bell. He was headed by Hautacam down the back straight, but fought powerfully to hit the front again in the home straight before racing clear to win impressively.

“Good Heart, the stablemate, nearly galloped and I felt when I left the gate I was a bit the same,” Douglas said.

“I wasn’t too game to let him go forward too hard just in case I went off stride myself.”

MORE WANTED REPLAY

More Wanted is raced by breeders Richard and Pauline Matthews and has now won three of 14 career starts.

For complete race results from Melton Saturday, click here.