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Newly-crowned Cranbourne Trotters Cup champion Majestuoso (Majestic Son) will next step out in the opening leg of the lucrative Aurora Australis harness racing series early next year.
The Andy Gath-trained squaregaiter is looking to defend his Aurora crown, which he won last year to secure a $50,000 bonus for owner Norm Jenkin.
Gath confirmed on Saturday night, shortly after winning the Cranbourne feature, that his charge would next be seen in the Group 1 Maori Mile at Bendigo on January 7.
That race is the first leg of eight, with the 2023 Aurora Australis to culminate with the Australian Trotting Grand Prix on February 25.
“We expect to meet up with Just Believe there again and hopefully we can get revenge on him,” Gath said.
Just Believe nailed Majestuoso in the shadows of the post to win the Inter Dominion Trotting Championship Grand Final at Melton on December 10.
That was just Majestuoso’s fourth run this campaign, with Saturday night’s victory at Cranbourne taking his career record to 27 wins from 59 starts and close to $690,000 in prizemoney.
He defeated Im Ready Jet in last year’s Aurora Australis with a photo finish victory in the last leg of the series.
The culmination of this year’s championship will see a $50,000 bonus payable to the owner of the horse who accrues the highest number of points across the eight races.
AURORA AUSTRALIS
7th January, Maori Mile (Group 1), Bendigo, 1609m, $75,000
21st January, E B Cochran Trotters Cup (Group 3), Ballarat, 2200m, $30,000
28th January, V L Dullard Trotters Cup (Group 2), Melton, 2240m, $50,000
3rd February, Great Southern Star heats (two heats), Melton, 1720m, $50,000
3rd February, Great Southern Star Final (Group 1), Melton, 1720m, $300,000
11th February, The Knight Pistol (Group 2), Melton, 2240m, $50,000
25th February, Australian Trotting Grand Prix (Group 1), Melton, 2240m, $100,000
POINTS
1st – 8 points, 2nd – 5 points, 3rd – 3 points, 4th – 2 points and 5th – 1 point.
by Tim O’Connor, for HRV
