Speedy Success turned the tables on Perfect Sunrise from a week ago with a maiden win at Gore yesterday.
The pair had met at the Forbury Park trials last Monday when Perfect Sunrise was on her best behaviour and streaked past Speedy Success to win comfortably.
And, as American baseballer Yogi Berra once said, it looked like deja vu all over again, as Perfect Sunrise loomed up and threatened to trot right on by as they entered the straight in the closing stages of the 2200m maiden trot.
But Speedy Success, a Great Success gelding having his 31st start, was stoic defending his lead and the pressure told with 100m to go when Perfect Sunrise galloped, leaving Speedy Success and trainer-driver Alan Clark to win by 5 lengths over Zachary Smith. Perfect Sunrise regained her trotting gait in time to run third.
She may not have behaved but her stablemate, Shards Of Myross, lived up to her breeding with a win in the 2200m maiden for fillies and mares.
Shards Of Myross is the ninth foal out of the New York Motoring mare She's Mighty, who has left quality pacers such as 2004 New Zealand Derby winner Likmesiah, Mighty Cullen (eight wins), 2009 northern hemisphere time sales series winner Shard Ark, and Mister Presley (nine wins).
The 4yr-old McArdle mare joined Jonny Cox and Amber Hoffman's Westwood Beach stable earlier this year from Invercargill trainer Tony Stratford, running sixth at Forbury Park in July and producing the same result at Ascot Park two weeks ago.
Lionels Meddle had his 11th career win at his 65th start when starting off 40m in the 2-6 win pace. The Live Or Die gelding took up the lead with 1600m to go and held on to win by a nose over the fast-finishing Roxy Rocket
