By Mike Love
It was a day of milestones at yesterday’s Waimate meeting held at Phar Lap Raceway in Timaru – Maureen Hutchison secured her first training success, 17-year-old Thomas Borcoskie had his first in the sulky and Robbie Close brought up career win number 600.
In Race 2, the Catering South Canterbury Trot over 2100m Waimate training partnership John Lemon and Maureen Hutchison produced Lemon’s first win since 2001 and Hutchison’s first career win with Della’s Fella.
Driven by Jonny Cox, Della’s Fella stepped well to lead then trail behind race favourite Neil William. Cox kept the three-year-old What The Hill gelding poised to the passing lane before being able to wear down a game Neil William to win by a neck at the line.
The win came at Della’s Fella’s 11th attempt.
“It’s exciting,” remarked Hutchison in a post race Trackside interview.
“He’s really honest and great to have in the stables. When they said he’s just waiting on the passing lane I thought ‘this is him.'”
The victory was particularly fitting as Hutchison and Lemon train from their base in Waimate.
“We have two in work, one a young fella who’s just coming back in.”
Lemon’s previous victory came in 2001 at Banks Peninsula with Mister Will. This was their first win in partnership to go with the 10 he has on his own account.
Thomas Borcoskie produced his first driving success in Race 3, the Waimate Storage mobile pace over 2100m when he drove the Tom Bagrie trained She’s A Major Act to victory.
She’s A Major Act showed her customary gate speed from their wide draw to lead comfortably. Rated beautifully by Borcoskie in front they were able to hold off all challenges to win in a tight finish by a nose margin at the line.
“She fought back nicely and it was good to get the win,” said Borcoskie.
“She’s got that good gate speed so she always gets handy. She put herself in the race today and I guess she was just too good.”
Borcoskie just recently finished high school for the year and will continue being involved for the time being in the harness racing industry.
“I’m on study leave now then will work at Tom’s (Bagrie) over the holidays. Then I’ll see what happens after school. I’ll at least have this to fall back on.”
That was She’s A Major Act’s first win at start 25 for the four-year-old Art Major mare.
The main event on the card was the Waimate Trotting Club Waimate Cup over 2850m from a standing start for $20,000.
Leading trainers Amanda and Steve Telfer, combining with driver Tim Williams, teamed up behind Rock Band to win and make it three from three this campaign for the four-year-old Art Major gelding.
Rock Band made a clean beginning from a 10 metre handicap to position up four back the fence. Williams just had to bide his time until the gaps came and Williams and Rock Band arrived in time to spoil what looked to be a Southern quinella with the Ricky Gutsell pair Still Rockin and Hacksaw Ridge skipping clear. Rock Band closed hard to win by a head at the line.
“His great manners from him at the start got us into a great position over the longer trip, so we didn’t have to do any work,” said driver Williams.
“We cut the corner around the bend and came up the passing lane and we were able to run them down.”
“Back to the stand and a longer trip suited him. With his manners early, once we’d gone 100m I thought we’d be in with a good chance.”
Rock Band’s win gave the Telfers’ a double in just minutes as Christie’s Art was a winner at the Tuapeka meeting in Invercargill with driver Blair Orange. Beachbreak won earlier at the Waimate meeting giving the team three successes for the day across the two meetings.
Other highlights included Robbie Close bringing up his 600th career win in the sulky when he drove the Andrew Stuart trained Rapid Response to win Race 5, the Royal Tavern Pace over 2100m. Close drove his first winner in 2011 behind the Robbie Holmes trotter Lady Penrose at Rangiora.
