Stablemate The Janitor showed he had arrived in the big league with a fantastic and close-up third place behind Grand Circuit greats Don Hugo and Leap To Fame in last night’s $250,000 Group 1 Blacks A Fake at Albion Park.
It followed a huge second place finish for Hi Manaijzelff after sitting outside the leader and winner a week earlier.
It’s no secret that husband and wife Pete McMullen and Chantal Turpin have huge opinions on the Janitor and everyone now understands why.
McMullen took to the Blacks A Fake and said it “would be ideal” if The Janitor made the trip across the ditch for the huge Cambridge Night of Champions in April.
“We plan to do that with Gus and it would be great to include The Janitor in the pace race as well,” he said.
The past two runs have proven unequivocally that The Janitor is among the top pacers in Australasia.
What’s not so clear is what’s next for The Janitor with the option of the Hunter Cup in February or waiting for the Miracle Mile in March.
McMullen said Gus was enjoying a break after his exploits in the NZ Cup Group 1 and would not be heading to Melbourne in January/February.
“We’ll probably go to the big (trotting) race at the Miracle Mile and then to Cambridge,” McMullen said.
The eagerly anticipated clash is now between Gus and Keayang Zahara, who last night won her 10th Group 1 race after just 21 starts at the $150,000 Great Square at Albion Park. She has won 20 of her 21 starts.
Keayang Zahara returns home to prepare for the $100,000 Group 1 Maori Mile in Bendigo on January 10.
It is the first of six races in the new Victoria Summer of Glory Carnival, which comes with a $500,000 bonus.
Patiently wheeled back into the field, Keayang Zahara gave leader Sunset Hill a big start in the 600m but crushed the clock to easily reel in the former Kiwi gelding and win without being extended by 2.2 metres.
Keayang Zahara’s final 800 meters was an almost unbelievable 54.6 seconds.
Back to the Blacks A Fake and it was another win for Luke McCarthy against Blacks A Fake.
McCarthy has defeated the Queensland champions four times this year, twice with Don Hugo and twice with Kingman.
Thanks to a brilliant tactical drive, Don Hugo took the lead, settling behind leader The Janitor and using the sprint track to take a nose victory over a mighty gallant Leap To Fame with The Janitor in a close-up third.
The mile speed of 1 minute and 52.8 seconds was equal to the track record at 2680 meters.
“I was hoping The Concierge would get to me first and knew if I sat on him I would get the last chance at them,” McCarthy said. “It took the whole straight to get there, but I thought I did it right on the line. The other two horses went great too.”
Don Hugo’s owner Tony Licastro can’t believe the ride the five-year-old has given him over the past 16 months.
“From winning the TAB Eureka to the (Sydney) Inter Dominion, a Miracle Mile and now a Blacks A Fake, I’ve been waiting 25 years in the game for a horse like this,” he said.
While Kingman looks to chase a $1 million bonus for the Victorian ‘Cups series’ in January and February, Don Hugo is heading into a quieter time.
“I’ll let the dust settle and talk to Tony, but defending his Miracle Mile crown is the top priority right now,” McCarthy said.
It was Leap To Fame’s fourth loss in his past six starts, but statistically one of the best runs of his career as he covered 34 yards of extra ground and the time they ran.
Through Adam Hamiltonfor Harness Racing New Zealand
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