Lee sweeps Cups and target turns to Saturday

A stellar Sunday (Jan. 15) could transform into a stunning TAB Summer of Glory for Marg Lee’s camp, which added two harness racing country cups to its trophy case at the weekend.

The modest trip from Terang to Hamilton proved fruitful with Keayang Livana (Imperial Count) scoring in the Alexandra House Sports Club Hamilton Trotters Cup and then, just two races later, Jilliby Sylvester making it a double with a win in the Matthews Petroleum Hamilton Pacing Cup.

“We had a great day and she went super,” Marg said, with the “she” a reference to her trotting mare, whose win in the $20,000 standing start trot was her first triumph since April 2021.

Many pre-race expectations were quickly thrown out after favourite Chinese Whisper broke at the start along with Plymouth Chubb and Alpha Male, who were second and third in the market.

Mick Bellman took the initiative and grabbed the lead with Archleo, kicking up when Hatchback made a stern mid-race challenge.

But the leaders tired at the final turn when Keayang Livana swept three wide and quickly dashed clear, with Victree Hill putting in a bold showing to finish a close second for Courtney Slater and Glen Craven. Matt Craven made it a Terang district trifecta with his celebrated mare Pink Galahs filling out the placings.

Arguably the most extraordinary performance came from fourth-placed Chinese Whisper, who overcame a significant deficit to latch on to the back of the field for the final lap and then still had enough in the tank to charge into fourth. Chinese Whisper’s third quarter of 28.44 seconds was almost a full second quicker than any other entrant and the Andy Gath entrant followed it up with the fourth quickest final quarter.

As for the winner, Keayang Livana, it’s onwards and upwards. She’ll back up in Saturday night’s E B Cochran Trotters Cup, the second leg of the rich Aurora Australia series and part of an outstanding PETstock Ballarat Pacing Cup card.

Keayang Livana has drawn gate five and been backed in from a $34 open price to $21, with Just Believe a $3.10 favourite and Im Ready Jet ($5.50) on the second line of betting.

“She’ll need a bit of luck, but she’s going pretty well at the moment,” Marg Lee said. “We’re pretty happy with her.”

The camp will also back up Jilliby Sylvester (Roll With Joe) on Saturday night, albeit in the Syd Hill Pace after being balloted out of the outstanding Ballarat Cup field along with the likes of A Gs White Socks, Bettor Be The Bomb and Pacifico Dream.

Jilliby Sylvester will be hoping to press his claim for a start in the Del-Re National A. G. Hunter Cup by building on his Hamilton Cup performance, when he sat four back in the running line as Ultimate Vinnie and Yambukian set the pace.

Kowalski Analysis got the jump on the field off the final turn but driver Codi Rauchenberger knuckled down and delivered Lee the double, with Jilliby Sylvester winning by 1.1 metres while Cant Top This ran third.

“He’s been super,” Lee said. “He’s been a really good horse for us right along, even as an early two-year-old. He’s done a great job.

“Disappointed we didn’t get in the (Ballarat) Cup, we thought we would have been in there. He should be a good chance in (the Syd Hill Pace).”

For complete race entries, click here.

by Michael Howard, for Harness Racing Victoria