Patience wins the day at Menangle

You probably don’t expect patience to be the key to winning a race featuring many of the best young drivers in the state.

Yet that was the maturity that Riverina horseman Blake Micallef displayed to capture tonight’s Mates4harness NSW Young Drivers Invitation with a slashing finish to score with Summit Special at Tabcorp Park Menangle.

The six-year-old David Thorn-trained Mr Feelgood gelding just loves it when the speed is on in any race he contests and that was the perfect scenario as several drivers went out hard in an attempt to put their mark on this invitation-only affair.

Set-up with a 26-second opening split of the mile, thanks primarily to Aqua Sancta (Jack Callaghan) and Soho Tsunami (Charlie Castles), Micallef was content to bide his time near the tail of the field with a 29.2 second quarter.

The pace was back on with a 28.8s third split and as they came home in 27.1 Summit Special rounded them up out wide with a lightning burst, beating Ziggy Rocks and the unlucky Rickoshay (Cameron Hart), who couldn’t get a clear crack at them in the straight.

Ziggy Rocks (Brad Elder) found a way through along the pegs and charged up the inside but was beaten two and a half metres in a sick 1:51 mile rate.

Watch the replay below:

“I am pretty stoked with that,” said Blake.

“To win a race on Inter Dominion night is pretty special.

“I haven’t had that many drives here so have only had limited opportunities but I always thought if they go hard early this bloke will be right in the thick of it late.

“Actually, it all worked out perfectly for me and we got a nice cart into the race and it’s nice to take an opportunity like this when it comes along.

“It’s lovely when you get the right stock to drive and this fellow has a good turn of foot.

“That was just a terrific thrill.”