Harness racing: farewell to Moonee Valley

Updated November 2 2012 - 1:18pm, first published February 6 2010 - 7:23am

RARE scenes to begin the last harness racing meeting at Moonee Valley with hundreds of people queueing to get on track.It's a bumper night in store, with the group one double of Inter-Dominion Trotting Championship final and AG Hunter Cup headlining the night.Standby for highlights galore.THE BALLARAT Pacing Cup meeting provided its first winner of the night with Living On Fire ($6) getting the money in the group three $30,000 Four-Year-Old Bonanza, 2100m.The Peter Tonkin-trained Village Of Dreams looked like grabbing the feature event right on the line after getting a run in the sprint lane, but it was Living On Fire from the deathseat which got the nod.Short-priced favourite Mister Zion (fourth in the Ballarat Pacing Cup) was third after leading.Living On Fire saluted in the PETstock Foundation Pace on Ballarat Pacing Cup night a week ago.So with two races down Ballarat stables have had to settle for two seconds, with Yucatchim runner-up in the opening event in his first start since joining Emma Stewart's steam at Smythes Creek.THREE races down and the queues to get in remain.MELTON driver John Caldow combined with Great Western trainer Peter Manning and Mendelico to snare the $20,000 Angelique Club Cup, 2100m, in daring fashion.Mendelico went three wide and dashed to the lead with 1000m to go and then dug deep to stave off a charging Jazzam in 1:56.8.This gave Caldow his fourth win the feature event since 2002, having won with Mother Courage in that year and Nolarama in 2003 and 2004.SUNDONS GIFT was sensation winning an Inter-Dominion Trotting Championship semi-final on Ballarat Pacing Cup night.But it was nothing compared with the dominance with which he won the final tonight.Sundons Gift led all-the-way to make it back-to-back Inter-Dominion titles.And the characteristic wave of the whip by Nagambie trainer-driver Chris Lang as he hit the line said it all.It was just what the huge crowd wanted to see.Queenslander Kayanov (Daryl Douglas) did a grand job to hold down second, with another of Lang's team Skyvalley third.NEW Zealanders dominated the group one $200,000 Victoria Derby final, with Courage To Rule triumphing ahead of fellow Kiwi Lincoln Royale. Queenslander Lanercost ran a brave race to get third and after taking the lead with 2000m to run.It is the first time in seven years a New Zealander has claimed the three-year-old classic, with Bellas Boy having scored in 2003.It's a great atmosphere, with the tracking buzzing.What a night.A fitting farewell to MV with the big one, the $400,000 Hunter Cup, still to come.CINCINNATI KID lived right up to his Ballarat Pacing Cup victory a week ago with a scintilating win in the $25,000 Sky Racing Free-For-All.The eight-year-old ran down tearaway leader Karlsruhe to rate 1:56.2.BONDY is the 2010 AG Hunter Cup champion.The New Zealander used his impeccable standing start manners to go to the front and defy all challenges.NSW veteran Karloo Mick ran into a second, while WA pacer Im Themightyquinn came from near last with 400m to run to sprint into third.Bondy, which won The Pure Steel in his Australian debut on Ballarat Pacing Cup night, has now won 15 of 17 starts in stands.MELTON reinswoman Jodi Quinlan claimed driving honors by completing a double on Cullen Bromac in the $20,000 Premiere Stakes for two-year-olds.GAVIN Lang has had the distinction winning the last race at MV.A champion reinsman, Lang took the lightly raced Strident to victory in the $20,000 Country Clubs Championship.Strident, trained by Jenny Johnson at Elmore, has raced just 14 times for eight wins.The eight-year-old is a half-brother to the brilliant It Is I, which was a star for Dunnstown trainer-driver David Murphy before being forced to stud by injury.RACE BY RACE WINNERS - history in the makingRACE 1: Real Smooth Lombo (Greg Sugars)RACE 2: *Living On Fire (Damian Wilson)RACE 3: Ronerail (Jodi Quinlan) RACE 4: Mendelico (John Caldow)RACE 5 (Inter-Dominion Trotting Championship final): *Sundons Gift (Chris Lang)RACE 6 (Victoria Derby): Courage To Rule (Greg Bennett)RACE 7: *Cincinnati Kid (Mark Peace)RACE 8 (AG Hunter Cup): *Bondy (David Butt)RACE 9: Cullen Bromac (Jodie Quinlan)RACE 10: Strident (Gavin Lang)* Won at the Ballarat Pacing Cup meeting on Saturday, January 30.

Subscribe now for unlimited access.

$0/

(min cost $0)

or signup to continue reading

See subscription options

Get the latest Ballarat news in your inbox

Sign up for our newsletter to stay up to date.

We care about the protection of your data. Read our Privacy Policy.