The Captain’s back after fastest last quarter on record

September 9 was just your standard Friday night meeting at Ballarat. That was until Captain Ravishing (Captaintreacherous) decided to light up the track with one of the fastest finishing bursts ever recorded on an Australian harness racing racetrack.

The supremely talented three-year-old hadn’t been seen at the races since his last placing in the NSW Derby during March, but returned in brilliant fashion for new trainer Emma Stewart at Bray Raceway.

The three-year-old, who was previously prepared by Ahmed Taiba, speared straight to the lead and got a picnic in front, before Mark Pitt released the breaks down the back straight the final time. And with his main danger in betting Simply Sam stuck back along the pegs and unable to get clear running, Captain Ravishing shot clear and raced away to win by 36.5m.

It was visually stunning and the times backed it up. While the opening quarters were slow, the exciting bay colt quickened through a 27.7sec third split before reeling off a mind-boggling 25.1sec final 400m.

To view the race replay click here.

This left caller Dan Mielicki in a state of shock as he relayed what was before him on the semaphore board.

“That’s about as quick as I’ve ever seen since I’ve been calling,” Mielicki said.

Since 2000, Captain Ravishing’s 25.1sec performance is the equal quickest last quarter on record, matching the times recorded in races won by Hanover Zip at Harold Park in 2003 and One For Sassy at Pinjarra in 2018.

Locally here in Victoria, the run is clearly slickest in the archives. The next fastest final quarter since 2000 is 25.7sec, which was clocked in a race won by Stewart-trained stablemate The Lost Storm at Swan Hill in July this year.

We get our next look at Captain Ravishing at Kilmore on Friday night (Sep. 23) when he lines up as a red-hot favourite in the Reg Withers 3YO Classic.

Punters have supported the horse from a high of $21 to equal $3 favourite to win the Victoria Derby and all signs are that he’ll be hard to beat in that race on October 8.

Pitt will partner Captain Ravishing again at Kilmore, with the pair to start from barrier five in a race that features stablemate Khafaji, New Zealand raider Simply Sam and Julie Douglas-trained Interest Free and Bet On The Tiger.

It’ll be then onto the Derby heats at Melton on October 1 before a likely start in the Group 1 final a week later at the same track

For complete race fields, click here.

by Tim O’Connor, for HRV