Wedderburn win would be Bliss for Ash

A competitive showing in the hot Matthews Petroleum Hamilton Pacing Cup has given hobby trainer Ash Warton the confidence to forge on and pick his way through some other key country features with talented gelding Modern Bliss.

And next stop will be this Sunday’s Loddon Shire Wedderburn Pacing Cup, where the nine-year-old will go around in the $14,500 event over the staying trip of 2555m.

Warton, who works only a small team in Drysdale, has only ever prepared 12 winners as a trainer and victory this weekend would clearly be a career highlight.

Modern Bliss had been unable to recapture his early form when former trainer Alison Alford decided to bring him back from a three-and-a-half year stint away from the races in early 2020 and it wasn’t long before Warton was able to snap him up on lease.

It took the son of Modern Art a while to find his best for Warton, too. But when he did, the wins came flooding in.

Modern Bliss snapped a drought spanning back to June 2016 when he scored at Cranbourne in early December, then backed it up with success at Shepparton a week later before piling on back-to-back triumphs at Geelong just for good measure.

The horse was well beaten by the airborne Fourbigmen in the Hamilton Pacing Cup, but certainly did enough to please his mentor.

“I was probably happy with midfield to last as long as he kept up. Sure enough, they went 1.55min (mile rate) and 54sec home and he was following the three-wide line. He had a bad draw and was never going to get into it, but to get beaten that far (24.5m) against those horses, I was rapt with him,” Warton said.

Modern Bliss has drawn barrier three for Sunday’s assignment, where he will be driven by Michael Bellman. Greg Sugars had been booked in his bid for three-straight Wedderburn Pacing Cup victories, but has other commitments and won’t make the trip to Donaldson Park.

“A better draw would have been nicer – probably one or two – because I don’t generally like to use him too much out of the gate. I’ve found he doesn’t sort of handle burning at both ends, but we will hopefully just slot in somewhere. He will need a bit of luck, but he’ll be thereabouts I’d say,” Warton said.

“If they cut loose early, it will suit him.

“If we were able to win the Wedderburn Cup it would be something pretty special, but I’m not getting my hopes up.

“I think he is capable with the right run. We will just go there and if he can run a nice, honest race I’ll be happy…”

Brent Lilley’s former New Zealander I Cast No Shadow looks like he will run favourite in his return from a spell and following a great inaugural Australian campaign that netted three wins at Tabcorp Park Melton.

John Nicholson-trained Bullys Delight, Ashleigh Herbertson’s Im Shadow Boxer – who battled Modern Bliss in the Hamilton Pacing Cup – and tough gelding Rocknroll Eyes, now in the care of Geoff Lucas, are other key players in the time-honoured race.

The Richmond & Associates Wedderburn Trotters Cup is the other feature on Sunday’s seven-race card and looks a wide-open affair with Kate Hargreaves-trained Beau Garcon, Ray Harvey’s The Penny Drops and Jason McNaulty’s Travel Bug among those expected to fight out the finish.