BY DANNY MATTHEWS FOR RACING & SPORTS
A wicked turn-of-foot, as driver Jack Callaghan described it, put Nerano (pictured) back into ID24 calculations with a heat win that only needed the sprint lane to become available in the latter stages.
Three heats for pacers and two more for trotters took place at Bathurst all over the 1730-metre trip on the second night of the 2024 Inter Dominion series with heavy rain affecting racing.
“Everyone knows this bloke is electric off the arm so I never thought there was too much of an issue about holding Blacksadance’s back,” Callaghan said of Nerano’s ($3.80) dominant win over the $3.50 favourite which was run before the bulk of the wet weather hit.
Nerano earned 16 points to add to the seven gained at Newcastle on Friday.
Four-year-old and TAB Eureka winner Don Hugo ($7) made a strong ID24 pacers impression with a dominant nine-metre victory in heat five thrusting him to the top lines of markets for the final at Menangle on December 14.
“I probably had him a touch soft knowing that I was coming into the three runs in a week but that first-up really tightened him up for tonight,” McCarthy said referencing the Newcastle outing where Don Hugo finished fifth behind Captains Knock.
188-start veteran Petes Said So ($51) caused an upset in heat six with a piece of gear – one shortener pin – causing hot favourite Minstrel ($2.20) to break stride and throwing itself out of contention with more than a lap to go.
Captains Knock’s third placing behind Nerano have him enough points to lead the series on 28 with Don Hugo with the improving Dangerous on 24.
All three horses together with Minstrel head markets as $5 equal favourite for the pacers final.
Of the trotters, Queen Elida ($3) stamped her authority in heat three for the trotter from beginning to end while The Locomotive ($1.35 favourite) set a new track record in his heat notching a mile rate of 1:55.6.
The Locomotive holds favouritism for the trotters final at $2.50 with Queen Elida at $3.50.
ID24 continues with round three heats at Menangle on Saturday night.
To view the points tables following round two click here.
