DARREN Weir has achieved yet another milestone in his illustrious training career – having 300 winners in a season for the first time.
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He hit the mark when the former Peter Moody-trained Thermal Current ($4) took out the $100,000 Golden Topaz, 1200m, at Swan Hill on Friday.
Weir, who trained 298 winners last season, is only the third to pass 300 in Australia. David Hayes had 306 in 1991-92 and John Hawkes 334 in 2002-03.
Archie Alexander was another Ballarat trainer to have success at Swan Hill on Friday when Duporth 2yo Sea Lady ($18) won on debut in a maiden for fillies and mares, 1200m.
Rebecca Standen saluted with her stable favourite Arturo ($21) in a benchmark58, 1200m, on the Pakenham synthetic on Thursday. The 7yo has won four of 22 starts for Standen.
BALLARAT trots trainers swamped Maryborough on Thursday.
Four stables has winners on an eight-race program, with the state’s premier trainer Emma Stewart having a double.
She scored with outstanding 3yo filly Heavens Trend ($1.04 favourite), which came off a NSW Breeders Challenge heat win at Wagga, to lead all-the-way and Jet Black Shadow ($1.70 favourite), which is unbeaten in three starts since arriving from New Zealand.
Burrrumbeet father and son Ashleigh (trainer) and James (driver) Herbertson combined with 4yo mare Vapar Grin ($1.60 favourite), which has now won seven of 24 starts
Then it was the turn of another father and son, Colin (trainer) and Brett (driver) Holloway to win with 3yo King of Rocknroll ($3.80).
He led through for his first success in open age company for a third win in 11 starts.
Burrumbeet trainer-driver Mick Stanley rounded out the run for Ballarat connections with Spiritwriter ($1.40 favourite).
The 3yo has won five of 13 starts as he follows in the footsteps of his classic-winning mother Excotic Strike.
EMMA Stewart unleashes her team on Vicbred Super Series heats for 2yo fillies, and colts and geldings at Bendigo on Saturday night.
The Vicbred Super Series is being run under a new format this season, with heats for each age category at the one race meeting rather than spread across the state.
Stewart has Perfect Sense, unbeaten Our Celebrity and first starter Seaside Beauty – a daughter of group 1 winner Beauty Secret – in the fillies' heats, and first-starter Form Analyst, Solid As A Rock, Our Little General and Classic Maker vying for colts and geldings honours. Her unbeaten colt The Storm Inside has been scratched.
Other Ballarat stable runners include first starter and colt Carramar Arapaho (Rob McCartney), filly Soho Angel (Mick Stanley), filly Petacular (Mick Stanley), gelding Golden Bliss (David Murphy) and gelding Get That Into You (Rob McCartney).
The Vicbred Super Series will have four 3yo fillies’ heats at Ballarat on Wednesday night.
