Sweet Vivienne goes to another level

Ace trainer-reinsman Chris Voak is excited at the way Sweet Vivienne (Sweet Lou) is racing, and he praised her harness racing win in the $31,000 Kersley Pace over 2130m at Gloucester Park on Friday night, saying: “She has gone to another level over the past three weeks.”

Five-year-old Sweet Vivienne was a $8.90 chance from the No. 2 barrier, and she was not extended in winning from the tenacious Hillview Bondi ($6) and the $3.40 favourite Bettors Pride, rating 1.56.4 after final 400m sections of 28.2sec. and 27.9sec.

“They went a bit slower (in the first lap) than I wanted her to go,” said Voak, who used Sweet Vivienne’s splendid gate speed to set the pace for the first 220m before relinquishing the lead to noted speedster Longreach Bay ($8).

“After that (early) speed, she had another 800 metres in her after winning the race.”

Sweet Vivienne, who had set the pace at ten of her twelve wins before Friday night, enjoyed the perfect trail behind the frontrunning Longreach Bay before Voak eased her off the pegs 220m from home and switched her three wide on the home bend. She finished powerfully to defeat Hillview Bondi, who had hit the front with 220m to travel.

Voak is now seriously looking at setting Sweet Vivienne for the $150,000 Mares Classic on November 21.

Voak completed a double when Aldebaran Boyd, the $1.60 favourite, outclassed his rivals in the $21,000 Taste Of WA Handicap over 2503m. The former Victorian trotter began from the front line, dashed to an early lead, and showed outstanding speed for a square gaiter when he sprinted over the second last 400m section in 28.5sec. before coasting over the final quarter in 30.7sec. to beat the $4.20 second fancy  Majestic Ga Ga, who began from 30m and ran home strongly from fifth at the bell.

Aldebaran Boyd raced 75 times in Victoria for ten wins and 18 placings before he was purchased for $17,000 by several stable clients, and the six-year-old gelding has shone in WA with his seven starts in the State producing four wins, one placing and $29,207 in stakes.

“He is getting better and better and has already exceeded my expectations,” said Voak. Aldebaran Boyd’s record now stands at 82 starts for 14 wins, nine placings and $120,175.

For complete race entries, click here.

by Ken Casellas, for Gloucester Park