Kerryn Manning Triple Crown to take shape

Leg two of the Kerryn Manning Trotting Mares Triple Crown headlines Saturday night’s (Mar. 11) harness racing meeting from Tabcorp Park Melton.

Sleepee (Dejambro) tops the overall series leaderboard after her victory in the Lyn McPherson Memorial Breed For Speed Gold Series Final on February 25, and is back to contest the Aldebaran Park La Coocaracha Trotters Free For All this weekend.

The Alison Alford-trained mare will face a small but strong field of rivals including top Brent Lilley-prepared squaregaiter Queen Elida, who is back for her first start since last month’s Great Southern Star Final.

Keayang Livana, who ran second to Sleepee in the Gold Series Final, Majestic Chick, Ofortuna and Electrojet round out the field of six for a race named in honour of a superstar trotter from the early 2000s. La Coocaracha won 23 of 36 career races for more than $400,000 in prizemoney, with Manning driving the horse to all five of her Group 1 wins.

A $10,000 bonus is payable to the winning owner of the horse that takes out the Kerryn Manning Trotting Mares Triple Crown, which swells to $20,000 if undefeated in the series.

The third and final leg of the Triple Crown is the Group 1 Aldebaran Park Sumthingaboutmaori Trotters Free For All at Melton on March 25.

LEADERBOARD: Sleepee 8, Keayang Livana 5, Hopeful Beauty 3, Thebestbourbon 2, Aldebaran Keepa 1.

Ryan Phelan, Steve Cleave and Shannon O’Sullivan will head-up the TrotsVision coverage on Saturday night alongside caller Dan Mielicki, with the first of 10 races to go at 5.54pm.

For complete race entries, click here.

by Tim O’Connor, for Harness Racing Victoria