Captaintreacherous mare leads all the way in Terang Cup

A rollercoaster week ended on a high for the Lee family after Jilliby Willow (Captaintreacherous) led all the way in the Terang Co-Op Terang Pacing Cup.

One of only two harness racing mares in the race, the Marg Lee trained Jilliby Willow found the lead from her favorable front row draw but was soon challenged by Beyond Delight who set off in search of the front running.

Jason Lee however wasn’t about to surrender the lead and reined up Jilliby Willow to retain her position at the head of affairs.

Shortly after Matt Craven came around for a look on Fides who too was fended off by JIlliby Willow ($9) who refused to yield in the home straight holding on to score by a metre from Fides with Springfield Affair two meters away third.

WHAT A RACE!
After copping plenty of pressure through the early stages, Jilliby Willow fended off her rivals to win the Terang Co-Op Pacing Cup for Marg and Jason Lee. A special performance! pic.twitter.com/R1vA4SECRh

— The Trots (@TheTrotsComAu) February 17, 2024

A week earlier the stable lost its best pacer Jilliby Kung Fu who died after suffering complications from surgery on a fractured pastern.

Lee said Jilliby Willow continues to meet the raised  bar.

“She was up in grade tonight even though she went around in the Ladyship Cup, she’s jumped on the scene pretty quick but we’ve always had a big opinion of her,” Lee said.

Lee admitted he inadvertedly encouraged his rivals to challenge for the front running

“She can get a big keen so when she relaxed so well I just didn’t want to shake her up at all and I probably went too steady and in doing so I probably invited a few around,” he said.

Lee said JIilliby Willow’s second placing in the Ladyship Cup was the catalyst to tackle the home town cup.

“She’s really hard to beat in front and I tossed up whether to take a sit or not.

Her last run was just awesome and it’s hard to get past a horse like Encipher who is a champion mare and then Greg’s mare (Rakero Rebel) ran so well in the Cranbourne Cup, so it filled us with confidence,” he said.

“We were tossing up whether to run in the cup or the race below but when she was going to draw so well we thought we’d have a crack at the cup.”

For complete race results, click here.

by John Dunne, for Harnesslink