Sweet Ideal looks all class

Up and coming harness racing mare Sweet Ideal (Sweet Lou) justified the huge wraps about her when she showed all class in taking out the Renown Silverware Pace at Melton on Saturday evening.

The week before Sweet Ideal had those at the Melton circuit take notice when she finished brilliantly to take out a similar race and prior to last night driver Darryl Lawlor had indicated that he would make one run at the field.

As it turned out from the second line Sweet Ideal followed up the field and Lawlor secured a one out and two back trail with Hez All Rock leading and Maxy Wants To Play with a one out and one back trail.

Sweet Ideal was inclined to race a bit fiercely and at one stage she was almost about to ease out three wide but Lawlor kept her together for the one run out wide that he indicated he would follow.

SWEET IDEAL JUL 26 REPLAY

She was helped on the final bend when Hez All Rock was pacing roughly despite giving a real run in the lead. As a result the latter lost valuable ground as both Maxy Wants To Play and Sweet Ideal pounced down the outside.

Displaying plenty of determination Sweet Ideal continued on with the job to defeat an unlucky Hez All Rock with Odin who had been buried on the rails finishing fast for third.

Trainer Garry Lawlor who is Darryl’s father has been involved in harness racing all his life. Indeed Garry’s father Joe had the brilliant pacer Heytesbury Meadow who strung together a number of wins in the mid to late 60s and won five races at the Showgrounds.

Darryl Lawlor stated after the race.

“I don’t get nervous. I was a little bit worried. She’s been in season and I didn’t want to jinx it. She’s over raced on that first lap, I had to take another grip. I was a little bit worried to be honest, this was her first time over this trip. They ran it along good. To her credit she got the job done”.

“Her last five starts have been over the mile. She wanted to go on the first lap. It’s hard to find a race for this type of class over the 2240 metres. So we’ll go every second week on the 2240 to get her ready for the VicBred. She’ll need to relax better than that to be a chance”.

“I need to mention Janine who has done a super job with this mare muscle wise. She’s an integral part of the team”.

“I probably got to the lead too easy and she just switched off a tad which she can do just a little bit. Racing against the better ones will really get her going”.

“We’ll give her ten days off. Then put her into maintenance mode. She won’t actually go out. We’ll look for some suitable trials. And hopefully hold this form until the end of the year”.

It’s hard to say how Sweet Ideal will acquit herself in the VicBred series but if she handles the distance and the better company in her current form she will be hard to beat. Let’s hope that she stays sound and comes back to what we can expect.

For complete race results, click here.

By Tony Milanese for Harnesslink