Anniversary success for Sovereign Tiger

by Kyle Galley
Trafalgar trotter Sovereign Tiger recorded its first race victory in exactly 12 months at Monday's Warragul race meet last week.
The six-year-old won the 2627-metre Trotters Handicap to land its first success since winning at Melton on July 22 last year.
Sovereign Tiger had only raced 11 times since that previous win, his trainer Chris Hunter after the race explaining a lack of suitable events had been a frustration for the veteran horseman.
Monday's race was over a long distance, which played into the hands of connections of Sovereign Tiger, despite the horse being given a 40-metre backmark under the handicap conditions of the race.
Two scratchings meant only five horses contested the event.
Reinsman Glenn Hunter steered Sovereign Tiger into the lead half way through the race, and it proved to be the winning move, Sovereign Tiger kicking clear of his rivals upon straightening to score an impressive victory, his tenth from 64 race starts.
The locals were also in the money in the last race on Monday when smart four-year-old Calling Buddy won for a syndicate including Gippsland trots stalwarts Len Petch, Gary Quinlan and Leonie Collins.
Calling Buddy has now recorded two wins and five minor placings from just 11 starts, and was driven for trainers Gary and Debbie Quinlan on Monday by top horseman Chris Alford.
The Quinlan/Alford combination has won many races around Logan Park over close to 40 years.
Unfortunately the Drouin West stable doesn't have the starters these days that they did when at their biggest, however the consistent Calling Buddy should keep earning prizemoney cheques for connections in the weeks ahead.
It was a Cranbourne Quinella in the third race on Monday.
Benbullan and Shoobees Spirit fought out a great battle to the finish, with Benbullan for trainer Jayne Davies and driver James Herbertson narrowly grabbing the victory.
Herbertson also drove Icanmotor to win earlier in the day.
Two-year-old pacer Rockin Bull scored nicely on debut against older horses in race six for trainers Andy and Kate Gath. The youngster started a short favourite and justified punters support by leading throughout, and will only continue to improve with more race experience.
Goodtime Miki for south-west Victorian trainer Courtney Slater also won on Monday, making a long journey home a happy one no doubt for connections who enjoy their trips across to Warragul.
Despite the long standing problem of small numbers of entries at a Logan Park meeting, the public still turned up in pleasant conditions, proving that at least the spectators are keen to enjoy the trots in Warragul.
They, and hopefully a big number of competitors, will be back on course at Logan Park for the next Warragul meeting on Monday October 28.