19-year-old brings home 125-1 winner in Mildura Cup

Teenage Victorian reinsman Ryan Sanderson scored the biggest win of his harness racing career last night (April 22) when he claimed the G3 $60,000 Tasco Petroleum Mildura Pacing Cup.

Sanderson turned in one of his finest drives to win on 125/1 shot, Sahara Tiger (Art Major), trained by his father Shane.

Sanderson, 19, was quick to pounce on the spot behind the leader Serg Blanco soon after the start with Sahara Tiger, and in the end, it was a winning move.

“I was quietly confident he’d do okay because he felt nice in the run. He was a bit of an unknown over the distance, but I did get a bit excited on the home corner with the way we were travelling, – and I was very excited on the line,” Sanderson said.

The Emma Stewart trained favorite Can’t Top This was eased out from the inside of the back row by driver Kerryn Manning as the mobile pulled away and Sanderson snatched the vacant spot. The decision by Manning landed her nicely placed three-back in the running line and with 1800m to go she moved to the death-seat.

Cant Top This seemed to lose concentration down the back straight for the final time and when he wobbled a little on the tight final turn at Mildura, local experience came to the fore with Sanderson extracting Sahara Tiger from behind the leader, and the pacer pulling out plenty in the run to the finish.  He won by 3.1 metres from Western Sonador (Bec Bartley) and Cant Top This (Kerryn Manning) with the quietly spoken Sanderson even allowing himself the luxury of a modest “salute” on the line. The win was in 1.59-6, last mile 1.56-7 and last half 57-1.

And although Sahara Tiger started at cricket-score odds, it was nonetheless one of the most popular victories in the feature in recent years, by a pacer who’s made the track his own.

Sahara Tiger has been in sensational form at the Mildura track, winning eight races since November last year. Tough Bendigo pacer Bernie Winkle has a record 38 victories at the circuit, so it’s debatable if “Monty” has yet assumed the King of Mildura crown – but he’s now got one up on “Bernie” with the cup win.

Sanderson was quick to praise his father on presenting the horse in tip-top condition for the big event, along with his younger sister Abby who qualified Sahara Tiger with a fifth in the cup heats on Tuesday night.

“It was awesome – credit to dad and the horse and Abby who qualified him on Tuesday night.  It was just a great win.”

The victory was the second leg of a winning double for the Sanderson team – they also took out the Free For All with Sahara Sirocco (Courage Under Fire).

“Mildura has been very good to us, and this is a special victory that’s for sure. We shifted down here (early in 2021) because we thought Ryan and Abby would get more opportunities—and the trainers have been good to them,” Shane said.

“Sahara Tiger has certainly been a track specialist here over the past six months, but to be honest we thought we might be a bit outclassed and finish top five at best.

“Ryan did very well to settle in behind the leader and the horse put his best foot forward. He was ‘Johnny on the spot’.”

Cant Top This knuckled back down to the task. However, it was obvious he was uncomfortable on the bends and did well to hold onto third spot.

by Terry Gange, for Harnesslink