Ultimate Stride ends One Over All’s winning streak

It took a powerhouse harness racing display from Ultimate Stride (Love You) to end the winning streak of One Over All in the Aldebaran Park Bendigo Trotters Cup on Friday night (Apr. 28).

Trained and driven by Chris Lang, the son of Love You scored his first victory since late last year when he nailed the 20m backmarker in the shadows of the post.

While the margin was small, the performance was huge.

Ultimate Stride was sent forward for an early crack at the lead from his 10m handicap, but was posted by Harry Stamper who kicked up to hold the front for Anthony Butt.

Lang and his charge were then forced to sit in the breeze throughout the 2650m journey, with their task made even harder when One Over All was allowed to glide to the front shortly after the initial battle for supremacy.

With most expecting the job to be too tough, Ultimate Stride showed his class by digging deep and poking his nose in front of One Over All just before the line.

The pair had about 10m on Locksley Lover, who produced a good performance first-up from a spell to finish third.

“He’s a great horse,” Lang told Paul Campbell after the win.

“He’s won a Redwood and Breeders Crown as a young horse before he had injury trouble, so he’s always had a lot of ability.

“And since I’ve had him the last year and a half or so, he’s just had one issue after the other and I think we’ve finally figured them out.

“Hopefully this is just the beginning again for him.”

The result ended One Over All’s country cups streak – he had previously won at Horsham, Charlton and Ararat – but the Jess Tubbs-trained squaregaiter actually extended his lead at the top of the Maori’s Idol Trotting Championship.

He is now four points clear of second-placed Victree Hill, with Double Helix five back in third.

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by Tim O’Connor, for HRV