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The butterfly wings have helped carry Tough Tilly to another extraordinary harness racing performance and stunning payday for the charity in whose honour she races, the EB Research Partnership Australia.
The brilliant three-year-old Captaintreacherous filly dominated tonight’s $350,000 Group 1 Australian Pacing Gold Final, matching Shartin’s age track record and filling hearts from near and afar with a stirring 12-metre romp.
It was a continuation of an outstanding partnership between trainer Emma Stewart, driver Kate Gath and breeder Benstud Standardbreds, which shares ownership with a big syndicate from EB Research Partnership Australia, including the family of Tilly Wilkes after whom the champion filly is named.
“It was fantastic,” Kate Gath told Trots Vision. “Look what she can do and everything she stands for, representing EB.
“It was a shame that Tilly Wilkes couldn’t be here tonight and her entire family, I think they booked out upstairs. It was such a shame that it had to be this week that we got locked down, but I’m just rapt that she’s won for them and raised more money to help find a cure for EB.
“I’m just so happy for everyone and happy that she got a really big money race (and) that a lot of money will go to EB.”
.JPG "Tough Tilly wins big for EB 2")
Driver Kate Gath. Photo by Stu McCormick
The $150,000 winners’ prize cheque increases Tough Tilly’s career earnings to more than $350,000 and tonight she again did it in style, showing all the dominance of her $1.04 favouritism.
Starting from gate five, Tough Tilly had to do plenty early to cross Soho Almasi, coupling an eight-second lead-time with a 28.2-second first quarter.
But she got a breather in the second quarter before Gath opened her up again, storming home in a 55.5-second last half that set the record equalling 1:52.5 mile rate.
Stablemate Joanna and Anntonia boxed on well to fill out the minor placings, but the spotlight belonged to the winner.
“We all know what Tough Tilly can do and she did that tonight,” Gath said. “I’ve got the utmost faith in her.
“Once she got that second quarter, that was pretty nice, she was going to throw a really fast half at them so we were happy to let her do that. She felt super sharp last week and she felt good again tonight.”
.jpg "Tough Tilly wins big for EB 3")
Tough Tilly. Photo by Stu McCormick
By Michael Howard for HRV
