Rock N Roll Heaven filly wins $322,000 Final

The unbridled glee shown by Jason Lee on Saturday night after winning a Group 1 race perfectly exemplified what harness racing is about.

Passion, excitement, enthusiasm. Lee ticked each box with his victory salute aboard Jilliby Jitterbug in the closing stages of the Australian Pacing Gold Fillies Final at Tabcorp Park Melton. 

There was no doubt a sense of achievement for the gun reinsman, winning aboard a filly trained by his mother Marg at the family's Terang property.

About 12 months ago Lee said he would love to one day win an Inter Dominion when asked about his ultimate goal. But then, in the same sentence, he quickly adjusted his answer to say “actually any Group 1 win. Or a Terang Cup" would be his idea of living the dream in the trots.

Lee, like all his family, lives and breathes harness racing and many within the sport think his name could potentially, in time, go down as one of the greats.

This win was an important step on that trajectory, evident by the public celebration as Jilliby Jitterbug crossed the line victorious.

Relief too must have been an ingredient in that victory salute because plans A, B and C were thrown out the window for Lee as soon as the mobile barrier arms folded back.

Polemarker Hazels Girl was touted as the race leader, expected to come out humming tonight and Jilliby Jitterbug, drawn inside-back-row, looked the likely beneficiary.

After all, the leader’s back – and indeed behind Hazels Girl – was exactly the situation where the Terang pacer and Lee found themselves one week ago in the APG semi-final before using the sprint lane and unveiling a powerful burst to win.

But when the starter said go tonight Hazels Girl broke into a gallop, losing her chance at finding the top and forcing Jilliby Jitterbug to go right back to last. Over the short-course 1720m trip at Melton, this is never ideal.

Lee though remained calm under pressure, allowing the daughter of Rock N Roll Heaven time to balance up before easing three-deep with 1200m to go and latching on to the back of Hot Shot Woman and Gavin Lang, who would provide a beautiful three-wide cart-up.

When leader Three Squared swung off the back straight the final time, Hot Shot Woman had worked to the breeze, which left Jilliby Jitterbug to manoeuvre the sweeping run for home three-wide without cover.

In the stretch nor Three Squared or Hot Shot Woman were going to go down without a valiant tussle, but Jilliby Jitterbug had their measure and came clear to score a super-impressive victory.

Late in the straight Lee looked left, right, left once more time and when it was clearly mission accomplished, it was party time.

Jilliby Jitterbug won by 3.8 metres in a mile rate of 1:56.5 with the sectionals clocked at 29.4, 30.4, 27.8 and 29.3.

The winner is out of Keppel Bay, whose dam Nickel Castle is a proven producer, and she is also related to Cold Major, who took out the Bold David Free-for-All on Saturday night to give trainer David Aiken one of his four victories for the evening.

Of the beaten brigade in the APG Final Hot Shot Woman was bold for trainer Daniel Neagoe, comfortably holding down second despite covering plenty of ground in the run, while Three Squared improved on her semi-final fifth to finish third, beaten 11.6m.

Magical Delight ran on OK for fourth, Lettuce Reign likewise for fifth from a tough draw, while heavily backed favourite Zaras Delight finished sixth after racing handy throughout.

Jilliby Jitterbug is raced by the Levarg Racing Group.

Relive Jilliby Jitterbug's thrilling APG Fillies Final win

– HRV Media