3 minute read

A heavy storm shortly before the action didn’t dampen the action in tonight’s Harness Racing NSW Rising Stars Championship with a tried-and-tested team making the most of their opportunity.

Blake Hughes and his brother Jake have been two of the bright stars of racing at Newcastle and Tamworth in recent months and Blake showed he was a real driver of the future with a superb display to score with seven-year-old gelding Marty Major for fellow Novocastrian Roy Roots Junior.

Hughes would have been quick to pick the brains of Newcastle's 'other' top young gun in Tom Ison, who normally takes the drives on Marty Major.

And that showed as Hughes was quick to take advantage of Marty Major 's gate speed, whipping across the field to take the front from gate five and dictating the terms of the race.

Marty Major sizzled through the opening quarter in 26.5 seconds before Hughes was able to give his charge a slight breather with a 29.4 second split before upping the ante and racing home in quarters of 27.8 and 28.6 seconds to beat the fast-finishing Star Major (Bayley Duck) and Game Set Major (Jack Callaghan) with both placegetters coming from well back and closing fast as they reached the finish line in a 1:52.2 mile rate.

The four-metre win in quick time proved Australia's best wet-weather harness racing track was at its best for the four rich Breeders Challenge finals scheduled for later in the night.