Golden Sunset earns trip to Sydney for Macarthur Mile.

Queensland’s most improved trotter Golden Sunset (Skyvalley) showed her class with a most impressive win In the Pryde’s Easifood Racing Cube Trotters Mobile at Albion Park on Saturday night.

And in winning Golden Sunset earned herself a start in next week’s Group 1 $100,000 Macarthur Mile for mares at Menangle Park.

GOLDEN SUNSET MAY 2 REPLAY

On the strength of her previous good form Golden Sunset was a hot favourite ahead of Masterly who was having his first Australian run since arriving from New Zealand.

Golden Sunset showed speed early but could not head off Zealous Spur whose driver Grant Dixon went straight to the lead.

Nathan Dawson on Golden Sunset was content to take the trail behind Zealous Spur with Masterly running third and Top of the Moment fourth.

Dawson followed Zealous Spur and was able to decide when to make his run as these two cleared away from the opposition on leaving the back straight.

Golden Sunset eased out behind Zealous Spur and she drew clear to win by just under two metres from Zealous Spur with Masterly seven metres away third.

Golden Sunset’s mile rate was a sparkling 1.57.2 for the 2138 metres with a very slick last quarter of 27.6 seconds.

Trainer Shawn Grimsey commented on the tactics of the race.

“I thought Zealous Spur was a fair chance pushing forward and trying to park us. She couldn’t have had a better trip , it was a good race to go away with and she’s pulled up fantastic. It was good to see her come off the helmet and win.

I watched Keayang Zahara if nothing else she was very determined.

“We’ll travel down to Sydney next Wednesday and we’ll just have one race down there (the Macarthur Mile). She’ll go with Shane Graham’s trotter Aspiring Victory. She’s good to go.

Aspiring Victory may potentially be nominated for the New South Wales Trotters Oaks next week.

Shawn Grimsey along with his wife Michelle have done a great job with Golden Sunset. Since arriving in Brisbane in late November Golden Sunset has won on ten occasions from 17 appearances including winning her last three starts. Nathan Dawson is likely to driver Golden Sunset in Sydney.

Golden Sunset is also nominated for this year’s Inter Dominion Trotting Series in July and she will rank as one of Queensland’s leading contenders for the coveted classic.

On a sombre night for the harness racing industry respecting the memory of the late Greg Sugars all of the drivers at Albion Park were in the parade ring for one minutes silence at the same time as they were at Melton and Menangle Park.

By Tony Milanese for Harnesslink