10/06/2026
LEN BAKER’S HARNESS SNIPPETS - P/E 8/6/26
The Warragul HR Club held their first meeting in twelve months on Monday June 8 signalling a return to Logan Park which last raced at the same time last year.
Warragul has suffered time after time with insufficient entries to their meetings resulting many saying that the venue had been closed down by HRV, however the club were insistent that their cup meeting would go on and that it did with a great patronage to witness a terrific day’s racing consisting of eight races including heats and final of the Downtowner Warragul Pacing Cup over 1790 metres.
Heat One saw victory go the way of Monegeeta trainer/driver David Miles aboard 4Y0 Ultimate Machete-Savior Clare mare Evileye. Settling near last from the extreme draw, Evil Eye was sent forward when the pace slackened to race outside the pacemaker Allgood Vinnie (gate six) which showed exceptional speed as the gate sped away to lead.
Showing plenty of intestinal fortitude on turning, Evil Eye wore down Allgood Vinnie to prevail by a half head in an exciting start to the day. Roblen Ranger (gate four) was third 2.7 metes back after trailing the leader and using the sprint lane. The mile rate 2-00.1.
Heat Two was taken out by Kialla trainer Paul Tonkin’s 5Y0 gelding Longtan Viper, a son of Tinted Cloud and Longtan Jacaranda driven by Ellen Tormey. Coming out on terms with Caledonian Ranger (gate three) which led, Longtan Viper (gate four) was able to restrain and ease to his back receiving a sweet passage.
Easing into the clear approaching the final bend to join the pacemaker, Longtan Viper was too strong in the run to the post, scoring by 1.5 metres over Inside Trading (gate two second line) – three wide last lap from the rear, with Inexorable (four pegs – three pegs last lap from inside the second row) 1.2 metres away third after extricating wide running into the final bend. The mile rate 1-56.
The 2210 metre $6,000 Rodney Demmler Memorial Vicbred Voucher Pace carrying a trophy donated by Ted and Merryn Demmler and rug donated by Michael Hill went the way of 4Y0 Captaintreacherous-Cyclone Betty mare Katie Lorraine trained by Drouin co-trainers Gary & Debbie Quinlan.
Bred and raced by long time stable clients Fusinato Racing. Driven by Chris Alford, Katie Lorraine was given a cosy passage from gate two trailing the heavily supported polemarker Sahara Seakret from the Lemnos stable of Russell Jack. Angling to be one/one for the last lap, Katie Lorraine in a slugging finish defeated Island Yankee (gate five – one/two last lap) which angled to the sprint lane on turning and flashed late with Sahara Seakret third. The margins a head by a head in a most exciting finale. The winner returning a mile rate of 2-01.4.
Longwarry trainer Geoff Walker landed the Des & Moira Kelly Memorial Trotters Mobile over 1790 metres with in-form Majestic Son-Stonedaselle 7Y0 gelding Mister Walker who brought up three wins in succession following two Cranbourne victories.
With Taylor Youl in the sulky, Mister Walker was restrained from gate six to settle six back along the markers with old timer Christmas Babe showing her usual speed from gate six to lead easily.
Going forward with a rush in the last lap to race clear on turning, Mister Walker careered away to record a 17.2 metre margin in a mile rate of 2-01.9 over the roughie Tension Seeker (three pegs from the pole, with Taken By Wine (gate two) 1.8 metres away third after trailing the weakening pacemaker and getting clear in plenty of time.
Cranbourne trainer Jayne Davies has a smart trotter by the name of The Preacher, a 3Y0 gelding by Pastor Stephen from Idoido who easily accounted for his rivals in the $15,000 Eddie Evison Memorial Trotters Cup over the long journey of 2627 metres.
Driven by Chris Alford, The Preacher was fast away from 30 metres to trail the lone front runner Allwatfunjingles before moving around him with two laps to travel. Coasting for the rest of the journey, The Preacher raced by a host of stable clients headed by David Scott cruised to the wire in a breeze to win unextended 10.5 metres in advance of Queen Kizen (30m) which raced outside him from the bell and Tweedledee (50m) a stablemate of Alllwatfunjingles who was 6.8 metres away third. The mile rate exceptional in 2-03.4.
The all important $15,000 Downtowner Warragul Pacing Cup barrier draw was done earlier in the day consisting of :
1. CALEDONIAN RANGER
2. ALLGOOD VINNIE
3. ARE WEASLEY
4. REALLY SMARTIE
5. LONGTAN VIPER
6. WOW YOU CAN DANCE
7. ROBLEN RANGER
8. INSIDER TRADING
9. POSTERIZED
10. EVILEYE
And it was Longtan Viper repeating his heat success. Going forward from gate five to take the lead way from Allgood Vinnie on the first turn, Longtan Viper bowled along at his leisure to score by a neck only from Roblen Ranger (one/one – three wide last lap) which kept on coming, with Insider Trading (one/three – three wide trail last lap – four wide home turn) third 1.6 metres back in third place and Allgood Vinnie fourth after never leaving the inside. The mile rate 1-58.
Hopefully this will be the start of a new era for Warragul – only time will tell.
LEN
