One week teammates, the next week arch rivals.
That’s how things have changed in seven days for prominent Victorian owners Danny Zavitsanos and Ray Sellwood.
The pair co-owned buzz filly Arrhythmia, who extended her unbeaten record to seven races with a narrow but excellent victory in the $100,000 Vicbred 2YO fillies final at Melton last Saturday evening.
This week they are in different corners for the $100,000 Vicbred final for four-year-old thoroughbreds and geldings.
Geelong-based Zavitsanos, one of Australia’s most influential owners, has the ultra-consistent War Dan Buddy, an 11-race, almost $430,000 winner.
Selwood, a self-styled ‘bushie’ from Undera in the Goulburn Valley, bred and raced the outstanding Miki To Success with a group of friends.
Both pacers are trained by Emma Stewart and Clayton Tonkin and won the only two Vicbred semi-finals in Ballarat last Thursday.
Miki To Success has won 16 of his 33 starts, ran a stellar fifth in the $2.1 million TAB Eureka in September and has $341,905 to his name.
“It was fantastic to share the win last week, but Danny called me a ‘father figure’ and that didn’t go down well, so I’d like to get one back this week,” laughed Sellwood.
“That filly (Arrhythmia) was a real surprise package. We sent her to Tassie to try and win one or two races at the start, but she got better and better with every run. She has now won seven in a row.”
“She could be very good, I think we will know when she returns to the nice three-year-old races next season.
“She’s just so well mannered and does everything right… I wish I could say the same for ‘Miki’ (To Success).
“He certainly has his quirks, always has, and they have come to the fore again in the last two starts, even though he has still been able to win.”
Miki To Success was withdrawn pending a satisfactory trial after skipping and skipping a few steps while leading and causing a chain reaction of interference through the field.
“He was also a handful for Jackie (Barker, driver) the start before that,” Sellwood said. “It’s annoying and dangerous, but it only seems to happen when he’s at the front. It’s like he’s seeing ghosts.”
“We took him to Maryborough last weekend for the trial where Jackie rode him and he did everything well.
‘It’s been a year since he did that, but it’s worrying that he’s started doing it again.
“If we run him with a sit he’s fine, but that doesn’t suit his racing style because he’s an old-fashioned stayer who has to roll a long way home and can hold his speed for a long way. He doesn’t have that brilliant turn of his stablemates like War Dan Buddy’s Bay of Biscay.”
“That’s why Danny’s horse will pose a real danger this week if our man doesn’t do everything right.”
Miki To Success is out to defend his Vicbred crown after taking the first win of his career in the 3YO final last year. War Dan Buddy finished fourth.
Interestingly, Australia’s new pace sensation Kingman, winner of the Victoria and NZ Cups in recent weeks, finished third in that race.
Last year’s Vicbred overall victory over Miki To Success was Barker’s first at Group 1 level.
Through Adam Hamilton for Harness Racing Victoria
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