Michael Howard
Emma Stewart’s place in Australian harness racing folklore was further ensconced at Tabcorp Park Melton tonight with the trainer producing a stunning eight victories on Breeders Crown semi-finals night.
Stewart was already without peer on Harness Racing Australia’s chronicles for most training wins at a meeting but tonight, racing some of the nation’s best two and three-year-olds, her stable reinforced that status.
Stewart’s eight victories matched her stable’s feat in the 2018 Vicbred Super Series semi-finals and was only one win shy of the national record, the unprecedented mark she set in Launceston in April.
The trainer has also recorded seven wins at single meetings on four occasions and six wins on five occasions, achievements that have her on course for an extraordinary eighth successive state and metropolitan premiership sweep.
Six of tonight’s victories were secured with reinsman Mark Pitt and the other two by Kate Gath, including the last, when Tough Tilly nosed to victory in the final frame of the TAB Breeders Crown Graduate Mares Free For All.
And the success appears set to continue into next Saturday night’s finals, including in the headline Woodlands Stud three-year-old colts and geldings category.
Stewart runner Captain Ravishing looks to have the class in hand after another brilliant performance in tonight’s semi-final, crushing all comers with a 25.9-second last quarter, part of a 53-second last half.
“He’s a star,” Stewart’s partner, Clayton Tonkin, said of Captain Ravishing. “Wherever he draws he’s going to be awful hard to beat in the final.”
He would draw gate five and, while there’s plenty of class on his inside with Khafaji, Hes Charlies Angel, Ripp and Repelling all drawing better, Captain Ravishing looks set to open a short-priced favourite for the $200,000 final.
The class’s other semi-final was won by Barry Purdon and Scott Phelan’s entrant Major Perry, who couldn’t have been more impressive for reinsman Josh Dickie.
Having his fourth Victorian start, Major Perry ripped to the front from gate four and from there his semi-final was largely a procession.
His main challenger, Interest Free, emerged to his outside with a lap and a half to go and that’d ensure no more advances until the closing stages, enabling a moderate pace until the final sprint to the line.
Major Perry found separation, with Interest Free fading to fourth from the breeze and driven along by Daryl Douglas from a long way out. Khafaji boxed on well to run second, with Roarforroscoe filling the placings to continue his good form with an eye-catcher after only emerging from the pack late. Commander Buzz and Repelling capped the top six qualifiers.
The focus now turns to the final and an early burn looks on the cards as those drawn inside on the front row seek a place on the pegs before likely leader Captain Ravishing takes hold.
Set to be among that early sprint is trainer-driver Charlene Gusman, who plucked gate two for Hes Charlies Angel.
“Next week, we’ll have a think about it but we’ll probably have to try and go forward and cross the one (Khafaji),” Gusman said.
“(Hes Charlies Angel) definitely has (gate speed), I’ve been trying to work on him taking a sit. Just to hold him and relax him and educate him a bit more, but with that draw and in that field I’ll probably have to ask him to go forward.”
