Susan Is Her Name makes a winning return

Talented but injury prone mare Susan Is Her Name (Sebastian K) resumed with a most impressive harness racing win in the Mimosa Homes Trot at Melton on Saturday night.

Susan Is Her Name hadn’t raced since finishing second in the VSS Four Year Old Trot at Melton last September but that didn’t prevent punters from installing her as a hot favourite.

Driven for the first time by Kerryn Manning, for trainer Emma Stewart, Susan Is Her Name trotted safely from the second line and eventually settled into a one out and two back trail. Both Aldebaran Boyd and Mega Spur showed plenty of early speed with Mega Spur taking up the running. Smart mare Dichotomy had the one out and one back trail.

Going into the back straight Manning allowed Susan Is Her Name to gradually move up to the leaders and at one stage she was out four wide issuing a challenge with Dichotomy.

SUSAN IS HER NAME MAR 29 REPLAY

But in the flash of an eye Susan In Her Name strode out and came right away to win by just over 12 metres from Dichotomy with Bitta Irish Luck flashing home for third placing.

The former Queensland mare created a huge impression in her younger days and few can ever forget her win in the VSS for three year olds over two years ago when she looked to have lost all chance at the beginning being tailed off, yet she caught the field and in an amazing effort stormed home for a relatively easy win.

The mare has always had an issue with a hind sesamoid (bone) which has often interrupted her preparation.

Connections have a high opinion of her and there’s no doubt that she can eventually reach the top grade depending of course on her being able to stand up to a preparation.

Kerryn Manning was praiseworthy of Susan Is her Name.

“It was awesome she’s a lovely horse to drive. She settled down well. Everything went perfectly really but she just ran away at the end and did it very comfortably. She did the last quarter in 28.5 seconds well and you don’t win races like that very often.”

“She’s a lovely trotter. She’s a tall horse fairly solid though she goes straight behind and she gets off the ground easily. Clayton (co trainer with Emma Stewart) described her as having pacing type speed. It was very nice to get the drive on her and feel she will do better things.”

Asked if she could make Group 1 level Manning stated “She has all the attributes, the speed, she can stay as well the soundness is her worry going forward.”

“She felt perfect tonight so hopefully that stays the case. So perhaps there are better things to come.”

The eye catching run was that of Bitta Irish Luck who came from near last to flash home just to miss second placing.

For complete race results, click here.

By Tony Milanese for Harnesslink