WHEN it comes to training strike rates, Ballarat's Andrew Payne has one of the best in Victoria this season.
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He is finding the winners' stall almost once in every four runners, with 10 victories from 43 starters.
Payne had his ninth country success with He's Our Woody ($4.80) at Werribee on Friday.
Second up after a second on debut at Terang, He's Our Woody saluted in a maiden, 1400m.
The four-year-old is out of race-winning mare Lajourn.
Archie Alexander's Ballarat stable is also ticking along strongly.
His latest win came with three-year-old filly Prix D'Excellence ($4.80 in a maiden, at Kilmore on Thursday.
HARDLY a day seems to goes by without Darren Weir getting a winner.
On target for another Commonwealth record for winners in a season, Weir rolled out a double at Moonee Valley on Friday night and another three on Saturday with a double at Caulfield and a single victory in Adelaide.
Then on Sunday he landed a treble at Sportsbet-Ballarat.
This canme in the form of NZ-bred Hectopascal ($2.45 favourite) in the CE Bartlett Maiden, 1200m; Arcadia Lane ($2.50 equal favourite) in the City of Ballarat Maiden, 1400m; and Poppiholla ($2 favourite) in the Hygain Benchmark64 Handicap, 2200m.
All were ridden by Dean Yendall.
MARGARET Ruth is emerging as a new stable star for Daylesford trainer Bob Conroy.
In her first racing campaign, the three-year-old trotting filly recorded her second win in nine starts at Geelong on Saturday night - coming off 10m against her own age.
Bred and raced by the Conroy family, Margaret Ruth ($8.10) is proving to be a model of consistency with five minor placings.
A trademark of the daughter of race-winning mare Lady Pepperell is her staying power and ability to finish on late from back in the back.
VILLAGE Safari has found some hot form for Allendale trainer Adam Stephens.
She made it back-to-back wins in an M0 pace, 2240m, at Melton on Friday night in a slick mile rate of 1:55.9.
This gives her four wins for the season and eight career victories in 44 visits to the races.
CARDIGAN neighbours Emma Stewart and Anton Goloni were to the fore at Melton trots on Friday night.
Stewart maintained her lead in the Victorian metropolitan trainers’ premiership with a double, while Golino kept his hold on his spot in the metropolitan and statewide top 10 when Twice As Much ($1.70 favourite) scored in a T1-T2 trot, 2240m.
Smart 4yo mare Heavens Trend ($1.40 favourite) led up a double for Stewart.
Back-to-back wins has put Heavens Trend close to $300,000 in earnings with 18 career wins in 26 starts.
