The rise and rise of Larajay Farms was not only reinforced at Tabcorp Park Melton tonight but has also produced an outstanding return for a trots-supported charity.
Replete in the Pacing For Pink silks, Greg Sugars amassed victories number 23, 24 and 25 for the month, benefitting the campaign that raises money and awareness to help the McGrath Foundation support those with breast cancer.
The reinsman was a dominant front runner in winning with La Captain, Momentslikethese and Triple Eight at Tabcorp Park Melton tonight, with each victory drawing a Pacing For Pink donation from Geelong Harness Racing Club members.
And Sugars announced on TrotsVision that he and wife Jess Tubbs wanted to go a step further, with the stable donating $1000 to the fundraiser after tonight’s success.
“It’s been a sensational month,” Sugars said. “The Pacing For Pink campaign is phenomenal and thankfully I’ve had a sensational month and so has our stable.
“Jess and I did say leading into tonight we had a few good chances, if we were able to get the score on the board … we’re happy to donate an extra $1000 to Pacing For Pink campaign. It’s been a terrific month not only for me as a driver but for the stable as well, so more than happy to put the hand in the pocket and add a bit more to the tally.”
La Captain kicked it all off in the first when he continued his vastly improved season by adding the richest win of his career in the Group 3 Alabar Vicbred Platinum Metropolitan Pace Final.
It’s his sixth victory in seven starts this year, having saluted in only three of his preceding 26 outings, and Sugars said it had been very rewarding to see the penny drop.
“To see him stand up and be counted in that quality of a field is really pleasing moving forward,” he said.
Sugars was also rapt to have been able to notch a number in Momentslikethese’s win column with a comfortable all-the-way victory in the DNR Logistics Pace, her first success since the Queensland Oaks in July 2021.
“She’s run into some ripping fields but hasn’t been able to win, so to get her back in the winners’ list for such a great group of owners is a big weight off our shoulders,” Sugars said.
“(The four-year-old mares’ class) is just phenomenal and we’ve seen the last couple of months a lot of horses like Momenslikethese, who have been well and truly in the shadows of a lot of the headline acts … now starting to come through their grades and shine themselves.
“Shapes for a very bright future in our open mares racing as they get older and hopefully into the breeding barn later on to further strengthen the industry.”
Michael Howard
