Isolate upsets favourites in $45,000 Classique

Isolate (Father Patrick) may be one of the best young trotting fillies in the country but that doesn’t mean she is best trotting filly in her own harness racing stable.

The maiden three-year-old came from behind favourites Sunnys Sister (trail, passing lane) and leader Walkinonsunshine to breeze past them both in the $45,000 Macca Lodge Sires’ Stakes Classique at Addington on Thursday night.

It was a classy performance at only her third start for the daughter of former age group star Escapee, rating a 2:0.5 mile rate for the 1980m.

Trainer Phil Williamson says the win shows the benefit of a trip away in April when Isolate went to Alexandra Park for two maiden races.

“There is nothing wrong with giving young horses a trip away, so often it brings them on,” Williamson told HRNZ.

“It has definitely been the case for her both mentally and physically and while she had the right barrier and got the right run tonight she still ran past two good fillies.”

That has Williamson aiming Isolate long-term at the three-year-old features at Addington but before then she will head to the Southern Trotting Oaks in two weeks and a clash with a filly Williamson says could be even better, her own stablemate Aroha Kenny.

“Aroha Kenny is pretty good and might even be a little better than this filly just at this stage,” says Williamson.

“We will get a better idea when they clash and of course they are so young and still maturing so so much can change very quickly.”

Their clash will be in the $25,000 Haras des Trotteurs Oaks at the Northern Southland meeting on October 6.

ISOLATE REPLAY

While beaten Sunnys Sister was good in second and Walkinonsunshine wasn’t trotting perfectly in the score-up and got caught a little flatfooted early in a raggedy start.

On a night when the youngsters provided many of the highlights Watermelon Sugar was the first to star when he nosed out fellow three-year-old Charlie Brown in a deep Race 2, the Neovia Accountants Mobile Pace, the last 800m in 55.9 seconds to suggest both deserve to be on a NZ Derby path.

Melody Banner (Team Telfer) made it two wins from her last three starts when downing favourite Madrid in a strong juvenile fillies pace, the Woodlands Stud Supporting Our Future Mobile Pace, with both fillies looking players for the late season races.

The other two-year-old race, for the boys, the Woodlands Stud Sires’ Stakes Series Mobile Pace, was also taken out by a Captaintreacherous representative when Renegade, from the Brendon Hill stable, won with a storming late run.

It was impressive stuff on debut after a smart trial win heading into the race and he looks a serious horse.

Later in the night Bach made the most of a great beginning to lead throughout to win the Hill Lee and Scott Lawyers Handicap Pace with Beach Ball a huge second and Here’s Herbie making ground late at the end of a punishing last lap.

That win took Bach to eight wins from 19 starts and with his hard running style he is going to be a fun addition to open class when he graduates there full time.

For complete race results, click here.

by Michael Guerin, for Harness Racing New Zealand