Dual Inter Dominion heat victor Ollivici found his way back to the winner’s stall with an impressive display in the Prydes Easifeed Trotters Free For All at Melton on Saturday night.
Sent out a $1.30 favourite, Ollivici withstood a brief challenge for the lead from Keayang Stuka before Chris Alford was able to dictate the terms of the race with a leisurely 63.4 first half of the last mile.
The Chris Lang and Sonia Mahar-prepared seven-year-old reeled off a 27.5 last 400 metres to score comfortably by 15 metres from Keayang Stuka and record his first win in more than 12 months.
Alford was pleased with the winner’s effort in the home straight.
“The way he found the line was the good thing. He was quick enough to hold the lead which was part one of the equation and there was no pressure in the middle stages,” Alford said.
“Up the straight, he was still pricking his ears all the way, so he still had plenty to give.”
Alford believes Ollivici can still mix it at the elite level.
“You’ve got all the good young ones like (Keayang) Zahara and (Jilliby) Ballerini coming through, but with the right run he is still good enough to compete with them, that’s for sure,” he said.
Promising four-year-old Ringer Wells provided the Andy Gath stable with the first leg of a trotting double when he took out the IRT Trot.
Given the run of the race by Kate Gath in the one out one back trail, Ringer Wells ($2.70 fav) finished strongly in the home straight to score by two metres from the leader Gee Cee Calder and Dossier.
Gath admitted she was buoyant of her winning chances around the home turn.
“I felt like I was always going to get the leader and we picked him up quite comfortably, so it was good,” Gath said.
Raced by Michael Cole, Ringer Wells is capable of winning better races according to Gath.
“I think he will get better as he gets older. He’s really progressive and trotting-wise he has got better… he is more relaxed now and I think he definitely has the scope to be a nice horse and go through the grades a little bit more yet.”
Later in the night, the Gath-trained Alrighty ($2.10 fav) carried the colours (green with yellow stars) of the greatest trotter seen in this part of the world, Maoris Idol, to victory in the Dynamic Print Group Trot.
Alrighty is raced by Bryan Healy, who drove Maoris Idol throughout his stellar career.
Shepparton horseman Matt Newberry chalked up his first Saturday night winner as a trainer when Keayang Santiago prevailed in the Garrards Horse and Hound Pace.
With James Herbertson in the sulky, Keayang Santiago ($3.40 fav) dashed through along the sprint lane to score by four metres from Netra in a mile rate of 1:54.9 for the 1720 metre trip.
Herbertson was happy with the way Keayang Santiago handled the rise in class.
“I didn’t really expect him to come here and win tonight being up in class that much, but credit to Matty along with John and Maree (Newberry) who have done a really good job with their team of late, and this one is getting better with every run,” Herbertson said.
Later in the evening, Herbertson completed a winning double when he steered Hugo Rocks ($6.50), prepared by his father Ashleigh, to a narrow victory in the Swift Signs Pace.
