Michael Howard
A precision performance and a beauty for the battlers made for many smiles at Tabcorp Park Melton on Saturday night as Group 1 glory was grabbed by stables big and small.
The Aldebaran Park Vicbred Home Grown Classic finals again delivered a magic moment, with father-and-son training team David and Brad Barnes capturing their first Group 1 with Mumpaysthebills winning the three-year-old trotting fillies’ final.
Winning reinsman Craig Demmler lauded winners as “terrific people”, telling TrotsVision, “I get more of a kick out of driving a winner for these sort of people, because they are (hobbyists) and they just enjoy it and their horses are going really good at the moment.”
Opportunity knocked for Mumpaysthebills when short-priced pair Atego Dawn and Be My Star both galloped out of contention.
Mumpaysthebills benefitted from a gate one draw and enjoyed a quite ride on the pegs in the fillies’ final.
Atego Dawn galloped while battling Boutika for the lead and then Be My Star broke on the peg line, enabling Demmler to cruise to the back of Boutika, who would take him to the final turn.
He emerged early on the leader’s outside and then clung on for a 1.2-metre win from Illawong Larajay and Gardena Ronda, who filled the placings for trainers Jess Tubbs and Blake Fitzpatrick respectively.
“My main aim was to get her out there and keep her settled,” Demmler told TrotsVision. “I knew the one in front (Boutika) would run along a bit but may get a little tired.
“I was probably lucky enough the one on my outside (Illawong Larajay) was not getting around the bends well, so I was able to come out and then make my run.”
It helped set up the win and the special result for the trainers, who also own (with Barclay Barnes) and bred the Skyvalley filly out of Gavlenn Jo Al.
“Dave’s the father, Brad’s the son and they do it as a duo,” Demmler said. “Brad spent his time with Clayton (Tonkin) and (Alab Tubbs) and they used to say that he was Tubbsy’s son that he never had.
“It’s fabulous, he looked up to Alan, he was a good mentor for Brad. They have jobs during the day and do work on the night or later in the afternoon. They are terrific people and they just enjoy it, love a beer and having a good time and I just enjoy working for them.
“It’s great for them, it’s their first Group 1, which is fantastic. That’s what brings people into the sport, to see people like this win these sort of races.”
