By Brad Kingsbury
CHAMPION pacer Sting Lika Bee, driven by leading reinswoman Jodi Quinlan, added the $60,000 Decron Cranbourne Pacing Cup to its long list of triumphs at its third attempt on Saturday night.
In front of a vocal crowd of 3000, the $2 race favourite found an extra metre in the finish to edge out Manwarra Goforgold in the Cranbourne Harness Racing Club’s annual Group 2 showcase race.
The nine-year-old veteran sped around the field to sit outside the leader in the 2585-metre event and gave the big crowd a great thrill as he came away with Manwarra Goforgold to fight out the finish in the home straight.
Sting Lika Bee finished third in the race in 2006 and midfield at his first attempt in 2005.
It was Quinlan’s third Cranbourne Cup victory and her second in succession after she took out the race last year with The Warp Drive.
With the win, Sting Lika Bee lifted its prize money to just over $995,000 and earned an automatic start in the Group 1 Victoria Cup at Moonee Valley on Saturday 15 December.
Quinlan was thrilled with the effort, after her horse was headed in the straight but was able to react and win the race by a head.
“Champions do that, they find something under pressure,” she said.
“When I was offered the drive it was a great thrill, but there was always going to be a lot of pressure on.
“To get up and win it, especially at this track which has always been special to me, is just fantastic.”
“It’s my third Cranbourne Cup and I love this track. This was the closest but they are all great experiences,” Quinlan said.
Trainer Brian Tuddenham said it was a hot field and he was thrilled to finally win Cranbourne’s feature race.
“I wasn’t that confident tonight, there were a lot of good horses in this field,” he said after the race.
“He wasn’t overworking in the run and it was a really good effort. He had something left when it mattered.”
Tuddenham secured Quinlan’s driving services late last week and indicated that he may continue the partnership in the horse’s upcoming Victoria Cup campaign.
“I have to give Jodi special thanks,” he said.
“Her drive was perfect and she timed it very well. You need to do everything right in races like these and she did.
“It will be hard to tip her out of his sulky now.”
Cranbourne trainer Jayne Davies’ hope, Penny Veejay, finished a gallant fourth after having a good run behind the leader.
Earlier in the night Acacia Ridge and Sundon’s Gift staged a two-horse war in the Group 3 Cranbourne Trotters Cup, with the latter horse snatching a last-stride victory in another great finish.
