What a Saturday for Aaron Bain Racing with five standardbred winners across three states.
Spirit Of St Louis showed he was on target for the Group 1 A G Hunter Cup with a brilliant win at
Menangle, at Junee it was Modern Power successful while in Queensland at Albion Park trotter
Scruffy Doolan was outstanding then to complete the night, Sheza Manipulator and Fletch Maguire
scored at Globe Derby Park.
The wins added $34,001 in stakemoney while Scruffy Doolan also picked a $2000 trotters bonus for
his first win in Queensland.
Aaron Bain, principal of ABR, said it had been a fantastic night with some sensational performances.
“At Menangle, Spirit Of St Louis ran 1:53.5 in a fantastic win, but from a personal viewpoint I was
more excited by two of the other wins,” Bain said.
“To see Scruffy Doolan back in winning form at Albion Park for trainer-driver Taleah McMullen was
very pleasing.
“Scruffy trotted a very quick 2:00.5 off a stand.
“Credit to Taleah, she backed herself in when she was attacked for the early lead and chose to
maintain the front.
“She has done a great job with Scruffy and has him trotting really well.
“I’m sure he can continue to justify our decision to send him to Queensland.”
Bain gave most praise to his brilliant Globe Derby Park winner Fletch Maguire.
“I believe he could be the best horse I’ve trained.
“Ideal World will always have a special place in ABR, and I always considered he was the best horse I
had trained, and his record shows why.
“However, Fletch Maguire is developing into a very special pacer.
“To sit outside the leader at Globe Derby Park and win easily rating 1:55.2 was an outstanding
performance.”
Fletch Maguire, a drifter from $2.10 out to $3, scored an easy 7-1/2 metre win in the Battle Of The
Best Series Heat 4 over 1800 metres.
Driven by David Smith, Fletch Maguire proved much too good for the heavily backed Rakero Storm
($1.80 into $1.40 fav) with the winner’s stablemate Take My Wallet ($10), 2-1/2 metres away third.
Rakero Storm, led from gate one and Smith allowed the winner to sit parked where he travelled
strongly with a 59.2 second first half of the last 1600 metres.
Smith kept the pressure up and Fletch Maguire virtually pulled his way to the front down the back
straight, but once clear tended to wait for his rivals turning for home.
Once in the straight, he responded with a sharp sprint coming home with 28 and 29 second quarters
for an easy win.
Bain said Fletch Maguire had come to his stable from New Zealand as an eight-run maiden.
“He has just kept improving from day one in our Gawler stable and has now won our only four starts
with him.
“He was immature early, both at the track and in his races but has just kept getting better.
“Early on he would be nervous when in the stalls before racing, last night he pretty much went to
sleep.
“In his races he was a bit rough from time to time but by tinkering with his gear, and regular racing,
he is now developing into a smooth pacer.”
Bain said Fletch Maguire was likely to run again at Globe Derby Park next week.
“He is still only a rating 50 and can pick up a few more non penalty races before he goes through the
grades.
“I look forward to his continued improvement.”