Words cannot describe the joy and excitement together with more than a little emotion when the Doug McCormack-owned Mister Red Shoes secured an inside run over the concluding stages of the final race on Friday night.
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Mister Red Shoes defeated favourite Plain Dream ($3.30) and outsider Octavia Shannon ($64.30) at the Young paceway in extraordinary fashion.
Being a first-time owner, local businessman and next door neighbour of trainer Jeff Brown, Doug was encouraged to enter the sport, purchasing the Flight N Irish five-year-old gelding and as they say, the rest is history.
Winning at only his fifth start, Mister Red Shoes is from the producing mare Pragmatic Miss making him a full brother to Paddy Carmody, also a regular visitor to the Young Track.
Mister Red Shoes had one other start as a two-year-old at Bathurst in May 2012 when unplaced and driven by Arthur Clancy.
Pragmatic Miss is by Armbro Operative, herself the winner of six races and the dam of six individual winners including the Die Laughing gelding Jollygood Gent.
Having been unplaced at Young and Canberra, the trial form of this lightly raced pacer was enough to see him receive moderate support starting at $11.30 and posting a creditable 1:59.7 mile rate for the 1720 metre journey under expert driving of Emma Turnbull who drove the gelding for the first time.
At the other end of the scale, veteran trainer Bernie Kelly took home the money in race one when Sunshine Hannigan ($20.80) - after causing a false start in the first score up - came from third at the bell to defeat favourite Eleantra ($1.50) and the promising Gina Gina ($22.20) with a half metre advantage following a polished drive by of Shane Hallcroft.
The mile rating for the 2100 metre journey of 2:01.0 was a creditable performance for the Artistic Fella three-year-old filly who has now won three races from only 20 starts for her owner Dianne Kelly.
Cowra trainer Darryl Davis was responsible for another favourite knockout when Fantasy Level ($8.40) finished strongly to defeat Hayes And Kydd ($3.60) in race two with equal second favourite Tenofus ($4.80) relegated to third.
Fantasy Level was an impressive winner at Cowra in March, rating 1:59.9 and this convincing win now gives the son of Energy Level a seventh win from 75 starts.
Junee riensman Trevor White continued his good form on the Young track with a comfortable win in race three behind the Village Jasper filly, Official Jasper ($1.60).
Bathurst trainer Steve Turnbull had Blessedbythebest ($4.50) tuned up and ready to fire but found the pole marker too strong with a 29.2 first quarter, coming home in 29.4 and a mile rating of 1:59.7.
Loves A Show ($18.60) ran home well, her last win was on this same track in December, her recent form suggesting win number four for the Bettors Delight mare is not to far away.
Favourite backers again were on good terms when Eugowra trainer Par Jones entrusted the driving honours to Murray Sullivan who, in turn, produced an excellent drive to get Burra Sullivan ($2.00) over the line in race four.
In a small but competitive field, the Armbro Operative gelding came from an awkward gate to be handy at the bell, sitting behind the leader, finishing strongly in defeating Classiemahon ($6.90) and the locally-trained OK Alright ($11.10) coming home in 29.9 and 29.1 for the 2100 metre event.
Moving on to race five and here the grey Jet Laag gelding Grey Nomad ($2.50) returned to the winners podium since his success in a Canberra race back in November 2013.
Starting quickly from gate four, driver Michael Day Jr. sent the seven-year-old gelding to the lead in the early part of the race and was able to slow the pace posting 34.00 and 33.8 first quarters before delivering a modest 2:07.3 mile rate.
Placegetters Little Lucy ($3.50) and Smokin Tally ($15.10) joined in late but the 29.1 last quarter was enough to hold the lead and claim a narrow win for his dedicated owners.
West Wyalong trainer Rodney Crowe was another trainer who continually supports the Young club and his win with Confederate Girl ($3.20) was a just reward for his efforts.
Driven by Rodney Lemon, the Union Guy mare came from sixth at the bell to defeat a promising Staphanie Major ($5.50) who will no doubt greet the judge in the very near future, with Machs On Show ($7.90) claiming third money.
The overall time of 2.07.4 was the same as the winning mile rate in the previous race but her mile rate of 1:59.2 was a more creditable performance.
Race seven was an encouragement stakes and here the 10 runners looked evenly matched.
Local trainer Troy Fletcher handed the driving honours to Raymond Turner and his judgement was spot on when Perfect Sign ($6.50) led throughout in defeating Keys To Stonebridge ($11.40) and Mercy Mercy ($9.50).
Ray has been on a winning streak over the past couple of months, winning here with Owen John recently, his dedication to the sport is without question, his late father, and top bloke Col Turner would be proud of him.
The Young club will conduct the next meeting on Friday, May 15 with heats of the popular $10,000 “Where Horses Fly” series culminating in the rich $30,000 finals at Menangle on May 30, with a strong supporting program with all races carrying prizemoney of $6120.
