by Kyle Galley
Brilliant Trafalgar trotting filly Gatesys Gem claimed her second Group One success in winning the $75,000 NSW Trotters Derby at Sydney's Menangle circuit last Saturday night.
And she led in a local quinella with Cranbourne trotter Commodus finishing a gallant second after working hard in the run.
Trainer Glenn Hunter and driver Luke McCarthy combined for their second successive feature race win with Gatesys Gem after snaring the NSW Trotters Oaks the previous weekend. After running a class record time in winning the Oaks, on Saturday night Gatesys Gem produced the fastest Derby winning time on record.
And Saturday's win was an Australian record time for a three-year-old trotter over the Derby distance of 2300 metres.
The filly is the third local to win the NSW Trotters Derby, following on from Uncanny in 1960 and Cocky Adios in 1973.
Gatesys Gem will now likely return home for a spell before being set for feature races in Victoria later in the year.