Class pacer Harjeet capped a successful comeback from injury with a tough win in the $15,000 Open Discretionary at Mowbray on Sunday night.
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Harjeet settled in eighth spot from his 10m handicap but trainer-driver Todd Rattray didn't waste any time going around the field.
He started a move at the 1700m mark and by the 1200m had headed off early leader Be Major Threat.
Harjeet looked to travel well in front but had to pull out all stops in the home straight as both Be Major Threat and Young Rooster challenged strongly.
At the finish, he had only a head to spare but it was only his second run after a break of almost 11 months.
Rattray said a hock problem was the reason for the eight-year-old's extended absence.
"It eventually healed up pretty good so we put him back in work and brought him up really slowly," Rattray said.
The trainer said Harjeet had worked well in preparation for his return but lacked race fitness when a first-up fourth to The Shallows in Hobart.
He could have been excused for being a little vulnerable again second-up but showed great tenacity to fight on when he looked under siege.
ROBINS LINK TO MEMORIAL WINNER
The $10,500 Cliff Robins Memorial 2YO had a fitting winner when Triedtotellya got up in the last stride to beat favourite Hez A Fake.
The winner was driven by his Broadmarsh trainer Matthew Howlett who is also a part-owner and co-breeder with brother Braden and father Chris.
He is out of the broodmare Ballroom Belle who was bred by Cliff Robins and Pauline Barker.
Matthew Howlett gave Triedtotellya a nice run behind the leader before getting clear half way up the home straight.
Hez A Fake had what appeared to be a winning break at that stage but Triedtotellya finished strongly to score by a half head.
In the other feature race, the Ray Pullen-trained Most Perfect Major charged home to win the $12,000 King Fillies & Mares after a well-timed drive by Rod Ashwood.
THREE IN ROW FOR THE 'POSTCODE'
Promising mare Seventhreeohseven brought up a hat-trick of wins for Latrobe trainer Brett Jaffray in the Trainers Encouragement Pace.
Carrying the same name as Latrobe's postcode, Seventhreeohseven won her last start before a spell in April and has now put together two successive wins in races restricted to trainers with 10 wins or less this season.
Although beaten for early speed from barrier 2, driver Rohan Hillier was able to settle the $1.80 favourite in the one-one sit.
With nothing on his outside, he didn't have to come out of that position until the home turn when he moved three wide to challenge.
The leader Boulder City was gone at that stage as death-seater His Dream Lives On rolled to the front and skipped about a length clear.
His Dream Lives On gave a good kick but Seventhreeohseven was too strong late and went on to score by almost two metres.
EVANS WILL HAVE FLUTTER IN SUMMER
Brighton trainer Terry Evans has summer carnival hopes for Need A Flutter after the four-year-old mare broke through for her third win in the Jockey Celebration Day Rating 60 Handicap at Elwick on Sunday.
Given a nice run just off the pace by Randy Tan, Need A Flutter drifted up the track in the straight but still got home by a length over Gee Gee Rhythm with Keeper's Touch another length away third.
Evans said he had "always had a bit of confidence" in the daughter of Needs Further.
"I've liked her from the time we broke her in and she's never really let us down," the trainer said.
"We ran her in the two 2100m feature races last season (Strutt Stakes and Tasmanian Oaks) and she led until the 100m in both.
"So I'm quietly confident she'll measure up over the carnival and win a nice race somewhere.
"I'm not sure about her over 2100m but I'm confident she'll get at least 1600m."
Evans said it was difficult to map a path to the better races at this early stage of the season.
"But she should have a break then come back for the summer," he said.
Evans also has carnival hopes for his best horse, Hellova Night, despite a poor run last week.
"He's gone for a break now," the trainer said.
"He didn't look real good (in his action) finishing off last week but he pulled up without any problems.
"It may just be that he's not at his best on wet tracks.
"I know he's won on heavy ground but that was only a maiden and he may have just won that race on ability alone.
"It was terribly disappointing but those things happen."
NEW APPRENTICE STRIKES SECOND UP
Longford-based apprentice Lauryn Bingley was successful at only her second career ride on favourite Neutralize in the Class 1 Handicap.
Only 35 minutes earlier, she had finished third on Neutralize's stablemate Kuroset at her race debut.
Bingley had Neutralize away quickly from barrier 2 and the four-year-old mare quickly took up the running.
She bowled along clear of the field before Bingley allowed her to drift towards the outside turning for home, as had been the pattern for the latter part of the meeting.
Outsider Punk Princess ran on late even wider on the track but Neutralize held her at bay by a half length.
Bingley, 19 is apprenticed to new training partners Tanya Hanson and Kyle Maskiell.
She has ridden in more than 130 trials over the past two years.
Neutralize was the fifth winner of the meeting for trainer Scott Brunton while his partner Tegan Keys also won a race with Rising Light.
David Pires took the riding honours at the season opener with a treble.