Open class pacer Maebee ($12) ran the second fastest time ever recorded at Carrick Park when claiming the Halwes Free For All (1670m) on Sunday.
The gelded son of Bettors Delight began well and was able to angle in to settle behind the leader, and got one off at the top of the home straight to run past the race favourite Celebrity Royal ($1.18), with 1.1m between the pair. Keayang Fitzy ($31) was 8.9m away, third in a mile rate of 1:55.3s.
Only his stablemate Magnetic Terror had recorded a faster time when winning the same race last year in 1:54.1s.
“He had been knocking on the door since we had had him, so it was good to get a nice trip and finally get a win with him,” said winning trainer-driver Conor Crook.
“Given Celebrity Royal was second up from a long time off the scene, I wasn’t too sure of his gate speed, given that he worked forward last week. So I was hoping I could cross it, but it was a length better than me. I got in behind the leader, and it was the only one I had to beat, and I was able to get past it.
Maebee started his career in Tasmania, and then went to New South Wales before being purchased and heading to Queensland, where he had two starts before being purchased by Crook.
Crook said the pacer will now head to Saturday night’s Devonport Cup in Launceston.
Maebee’s mile rate of 1:55.3s was one of two sub 1:56.0s efforts for the day when the Emma Stewart-trained Enjoy Life ($1.18 fav) recorded 1:55.9s in the Barastoc Race N Win Pace (1670m).
The mile rate set a new three-year-old age record for the Carrick Park track, breaking that of Ozzie Corka, who set 1:57.7s as a late-season three-year-old last month.
Two heats of the Westwood Quarry Trainers Incentive series also featured across the program, with the Paul Ashwood-trained Mcmayhem ($2.00 fav) and Iamahunter ($10) for trainer-driver Jacob Duggan winning both heats.
The final will be held at the club’s next meeting on 22 February, which also features the running of the Meander Valley Cup.
