Interstate trip makes Art Major filly

A trip away to New South Wales as an early two-year-old is reaping rewards for harness racing’s emerging juvenile Aureus (Art Major).

That’s the thoughts of regular driver Greg Sugars, who was at the controls as the daughter of Siliqua powered to victory in the TAB Sapling Stakes (2YO Fillies) at Tabcorp Park Melton on Saturday night.

“I think it was the best thing for her, just the trip away from home,” Sugars said.

“She learnt a lot from that experience and came home, had a break and this time around she’s really taken a huge step forward.

“We are hoping she’s going to be competitive in a lot of the good fillies’ races later on in the year.”

Trained by Sugars’ wife Jess Tubbs, Aureus debuted with a second at Penrith in early February and ran fifth in the Group 2 Pink Bonnet Stakes at Menangle later that month before coming home to Victoria for a spell. The filly returned to the track with a dominant first-up win at Maryborough on May 19 and then beat a quality field of rivals in Saturday night’s $24,000 feature.

“Siliqua was one of the first broodmares to take up residency at Larajay Farm when we first set that up, so we’ve looked after her for quite a few years now and this is the first foal of hers that was born there,” Sugars said.

“And she’s turning out to be quite a handy racehorse it seems.”

Aureus, who was bred and is raced by Nick Hooper’s Highfield Farm, has now won two races for more than $20,000 in prizemoney.

AUREUS REPLAY

For complete race results, click here.

by Tim O’Connor, for HRV