King Of Swing wins AG Hunter Cup at Melton
NSW pacer King Of Swing a stunning all-the-way win in Victoria’s most famous harness race, the AG Hunter Cup — but it didn’t come without drama. WATCH THE RACE
NSW pacer King Of Swing produced a stunning all-the-way win in Victoria’s most famous Grand Circuit harness race, the A.G. Hunter Cup.
It was a win for West Australian whiz Gary Hall Jr, one of Australia’s leading reinsmen, and trainer Craig Cross.
And it didn’t come without drama.
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The race-morning scratching of San Carlo, after stewards found that pacer to be lame, opened the door for King Of Swing to get a start in the race because the now Hunter Cup champion was emergency when fields were announced during the week.
Two more scratchings of Mach Shard and Alta Orlando just hours before the race meant King Of Swing moved into barrier one.
Everything was coming up Swing.
Hall Jr took the five-year-old to the lead early and he controlled it, with basically no moves from those back in the field.
It had all the drama of a movie that race! King Of Swing leads all the way in the G1 A G Hunter Cup @Tabcorp_Park Melton â#SummerOfGlory #GetSet #TheTrots @TheTrotsComAu @GaryHallJnr pic.twitter.com/ZXGPVSKNZW
— Sky Racing (@SkyRacingAU) February 1, 2020
Our Uncle Sam peeled off the leader’s back at the top of the straight but couldn’t dethrone the King.
“I went to bed last night without a drive in the race,” Hall Jr said. “To get the phone call at 5.30 in the morning to say ‘you better get over here’, I was really happy to get that call.”
A controlled first half of 58.8 allowed King Of Swing to protect his reserves until required and those back in the field simply had too big a task when they hastened through the 27.7 third split.
.@JasonBonnington caught up with @GaryHallJnr after King of Swing proved himself the king of Melton...#SummerOfGlory #GetSet #TheTrots @TheTrotsComAu @Tabcorp_Park pic.twitter.com/v0NMvwr4WI
— Sky Racing (@SkyRacingAU) February 1, 2020
Chase Auckland emerged out wide and Our Uncle Sam went close, but King Of Swing kicked on hard through the 26.9 fourth quarter to score a narrow victory.
“I’ve been trying to win this race for over a decade and I had to give the horse to Craig Cross and Luke McCarthy to get one,” said Gary Hall Snr, who trained King Of Swing when he was in WA.
Earlier, champion trotter Tornado Valley added the Group 1 $250,000 Great Southern Star to his extraordinary CV with an all-the-way victory.
What a finish! Tornado Valley wins the G1 Great Southern Star @Tabcorp_Park - just - from Red Hot Tooth in an absolute thriller!#SummerOfGlory #GetSet #TheTrots @TheTrotsComAu pic.twitter.com/qZKa3STyIl
— Sky Racing (@SkyRacingAU) February 1, 2020
The trotter, trained by Andy Gath and driven his wife Kate, has now led 18 times in his career and never been defeated from that position.
“That’s remarkable,” Gath said. “He had to fight really hard tonight. To win this race means so much to us. We just love him. It’s a great thrill.”
Tornado Valley has twice won the Maori Mile and famously took out the 2018 Melbourne Inter Dominion, picking up over $700,000 in stakemoney.
Originally published as King Of Swing wins AG Hunter Cup at Melton
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