Medhurst Dominates National Sprint & Distance Championships At Tattersalls Park
Master Mangalore mentor Ted Medhurst stole the show at the HGRC's Tattersalls Park meeting by winning both the Wrest Point State National Distance Championship Final (709 metres) and the Tattsbet State National Sprint Championship Final (461 metres) with members of his team.
Classy bitch Bell Haven (Head Bound – It's A She) prevailed in the former and the ex- Queensland chaser Rob Pines (Bombastic Shiraz – Velocity Thunder) blitzed his rivals in the latter.
Raced by Debbie Cannan and Russell Milner, Bell Haven missed the kick slightly, but was able to regain composure, assume control mid-race and hold out her luckless litter-mare Jethro, to score by a length and a half in the time of 41.35.
The race proved to be a Head Bound – It's A She trifecta, with another litter-mate in Beaudine running on into third placing.
Ted Medhurst was thrilled with Bell Haven's performance and in the past has stated on several occasions that she is probably the best stayer that he has had the pleasure of preparing.
“I expected her to begin a bit better than she did but I was very pleased with the effort,” he said after the race.
“Box one or eight would be ideal in the final and I would be more than happy if she ran a place.”
Rob Pines, which is owned by Craig Cassidy), made full use of the red box to show his rivals a clean pair of paws, winning by five lengths in the time of 25.96.
Filling the placings were the Mick Stringer prepared chasers New Recruit (Paddy's Flame – Miss Bardie) and Bergermeister (Bit Chili – She Be Nimble), which were far from disgraced.
Top chaser Rewind (Collide – Ricky's Angel) was scratched from the event, enabling his litter-mate Clyde's Angel to gain a start.
“Once Rob Pines led I knew it was all over,” Ted Medhurst explained after the race.
“He's a very strong dog and a mad railer.”
Former Victorian trainer Paul Hili, now based at Loira near Launceston, was seen in the winners circle at the meeting with the smart chaser Black Nitro ( Bombastic Shiraz – Leetyla), which took out the tattsbet.com Grade 3 (461 metres).
The chaser strung together five wins in succession when initially transferred to Tasmania and returned to his very best to score as a well supported $2.30 commodity.
Bishopsbourne trainer David Crosswell made the long trip to Hobart and went home smiling after scoring a double with Exo Energy (Cosmic Rumble – Icy Popsicle) and Pendle Beri (Mandagery Man – Mohar).
Exo Energy was successful in the Onyx Bar Open Stake (461 metres), paying a dividend of $2.50 and Pendle Beri prevailed in the tattsbet.com Grade 5 (461 metres) at odds of $4.10.