Tim O'Connor
Jilliby Willow sealed victory in the Elizabeth Clarke Mares Triple Crown with a dominant front-running display in Saturday night’s Hygain Make Mine Cullen at Melton Entertainment Park.
Tied with Rakero Rebel heading into the Triple Crown’s third and final leg, a good barrier draw gave the Marg Lee-trained mare favouritism in the race and she didn’t let her supporters down in the $25,000 feature.
Driver Glen Craven quickly worked forward to lead from his barrier four draw and Jilliby Willow was able to get away with a 30.7sec quarter before ripping out a last half of 54.7sec. At the post, the daughter of Captaintreacherous had 1.8m to spare over Rakero Rebel, who charged late under the urgings of James Herbertson to grab second.
The result backed up Jilliby Willow’s win in leg two of the Triple Crown – The Angelique – and gave her a three-race points total of 19 to defeat Queen Of The Pacific champ Rakero Rebel by three.
“We were lucky, the first 100m wasn’t quite as quick as I thought it was going to be,” Craven said.
“We were able to just use a little bit of tactical speed to get across to the running line, then work to the front quietly and dictate it from there.”
Jilliby Willow kick-started a winning double for Craven and Lee before Aldebaran Vera completed it with victory in the final event of the night, the Nutrien Trot.
Romsey trainer-driver Chris Svanosio also celebrated two winners on Saturday thanks to overseas imports Aldebaran Acrux and Lovemeto.
Aldebaran Acrux secured her third triumph since arriving from the United States last year with a great display in the 2Construct Trot before New Zealand native Lovemeto won the Haras Des Trotteurs Delvin Dancer 4YO Trotters Classic first-up in Svanosio’s care.
“Aldebaran Acrux is definitely going the best she’s gone since I’ve had her,” Svanosio said.
“She had a bit of racing in America and is by Chapter Seven, one of the greatest trotting stallions you’d ever know and will have a good career as a broodmare one day, but (owner) Duncan (McPherson) is pretty happy if we can win a few before that. He’s been very patient with her.”
Lovemeto showed his class with a dominant Victoria Trotters Derby heat win for former trainers Graeme Rogerson and Dylan Ferguson on our shores in 2023 and has recently joined Svanosio’s barn.
“He was just having a few little niggling problems, and Merv Butterworth and Graeme Rogerson who own him wanted him checked out at the Ballarat Vet Clinic. They’ve done a great job managing him through,” Svanosio said.
“He’s obviously got the ability to win some nice races, so it’s just a matter of keeping him sound and hopefully he can just keep progressing each run.”
Lovemeto has now won six of his 14 career starts for prizemoney earnings up over $130,000.
Nathan Jack claimed the other winning double on the card with Rocknroll Walla – who dead-heated with Spirit Of Arion in the GoodForm Pace– and The Bigboss, who prevailed in the Logical Staffing Solutions Pace for trainer Tayla Nicholson.
