Kyabram Trotting Complex trainers Peter Hall and Mick Blackmore produced winners at Friday night’s Melton meeting while Gary Payne provided an upset long-shot winner at the Cobram meeting in the afternoon.
Hall produced the enigmatic trotter Three Bros for a dashing win at Melton at nice odds.
Driven by New Zealand Group 1 winning horseman Josh Dickie, who is now based in Victoria, Three Bros used his early speed from the mobile to take up the front running before handing up to the well fancied Rogue Gentleman. He then ran that trotter down in the concluding stages to register an emphatic win.
The Mick Blackmore-trained trotter Yankee Lover was heavily supported in his $10,000 race at Melton and duly delivered his maiden win.
He firmed from an opening quote of $2.90 into a $1.15 raging hot favourite before breaking his rivals hearts with an all-the-way win.
Blackmore insisted it wasn’t his money that initiated the betting plunge and said punters had obviously been impressed with his last start at Cobram when he gave his rivals a big start and finished second.
Bred by former top Stanhope horseman Mal Shaw, his wife, Joan, and their daughter Louise Pangrazio, Yankee Lover is rich in pedigree.
He is by super sire Love You out of the Muscles Yankee mare Yankee Princess, a five-time winner from limited starts who left five winners.
Garry Payne kicked off the big day for Kyabram trainers scoring with roughie El Boston at the Cobram meeting in the afternoon.
Payne settled the six-year-old son of Union Guy three back in the running line and made his winning move 500 metres from the judge, surging past his rivals to beat Star Ruler in a two-horse race to the finishing post.
El Boston’s mile rate of 1.54.0 for the 1670m trip was a PB from his seven career wins from 42 starts.
• Kyabram district trainers have also been in the major money in the past 10 days.
Tongala trainer Michael Watt produced Tasma Flash for a well deserved win at Bendigo after losing in a photo finish at the recent Cobram Cup meeting.
Marvel veteran driver Brian Gath partnered the seven-year-old to his second win in five starts for Watt, which have also produced four minor placings.
Another Tongala pacer, Argy Bargy, scored his sixth career win for trainer Gary Merkel with a pillar-to-post victory at last Friday’s Cobram meeting.
Stanhope mentor Greg Lewis also produced Junior Warfare for a runaway win at the Cobram meeting.
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