Better Eclipse launched the biggest campaign of his career in style when he accounted for several talented rivals in the Our Maestro Free For All at Melton on Saturday night.
Greg Sugars latched onto the back of Hurricane Harley when that horse made a three wide move with a lap to travel and Better Eclipse assumed the role outside the leader Yambukian for the final
900 metres of the race.
Better Eclipse ($5) joined Yambukian upon straightening before surging to the lead half way down the home straight and had sufficient in reserve to hold off Hurricane Harley and Yambukian in a slick 26.4 last quarter.
Sugars was suitably happy with the performance of his stable star who hasn’t been seen since returning from a New Zealand campaign in April.
“His work at home has been super and he was pretty close to the mark tonight and he will probably sharpen up with the run,” Sugars said.
“I was about to take off approaching the bell but when Hurricane Harley went in front of me I thought I’d just tag him into it.
Sugars said the horse had thrived from a short spell in the paddock following the trip to New Zealand.
“He had a hectic season as a four-year-old so he needed a break when he came home from New Zealand and he has come back better for it,” he said.
Sugars outlined the son of Betterthancheddar’s immediate racing itinerary for the remainder of them year.
“He’ll go to Sydney for the Len Smith Mile and then onto the Victoria Cup and all going well we will head up north for the Inter Dominion with him,” he said.
Star Celebrity continued to build on her picket fence form line after leading all the way in the Alabar Vicbred Platinum Mares Sprint Championship Final at Melton on Saturday night.
The Emma Stewart trained four-year-old has now won her past seven starts.
Allan McDonough wasted little time putting the $1.90 favorite into the early action as he pushed through aggressively from an outside second row draw to wrest the lead from stable mate
Whatadelight shortly after the start.
When McDonough released the reins approaching the home turn, Star Celebrity reeled off a 26.4 last 400 metres making it impossible for any of her rivals to run her down in the home straight.
McDonough conceded his pre-race plan was to eliminate any possibility of bad luck in the run.
“She was the best mare in the race and I wanted to go forward and avoid any chance of interference,” McDonough said.
“She gave me a really good feel and did it within herself in the straight,” he said.
The beautifully bred daughter of Always B Miki has now won nine of her 20 starts and McDonough said she had proven herself against the best of her age.
John Dunne
