DESPITE running strongly to its maiden victory in the $1500 GK Craig Printers Pace (2240 metres), $1.50 favourite Uncle Redgee’s victory was completely overshadowed by one of his competitors.
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Uncle Redgee led from start to finish but all focus was on the Graham Betts driven One Hit Wonder.
Halfway through the second race at Highland Paceway’s bumper program yesterday, One Hit Wonder hit the outside fence, and exploded through it.
The horse and driver tumbled into an embankment on the eastern side of the track, but despite the potential for disaster neither man nor beast was injured.
Winning driver David Harris said despite the jubilation of the win, attention remained with Betts and his filly.
“You never want to see something like that happen, no matter who it is or what it is” he said.
“Hopefully there are no long-term effects.”
Uncle Redgee and Natural Arc both started fast from the inside, with the former muscling up to the front, leading into the first turn.
Uncle Redgee did it easy the first time past the winning post, the group crawled through with a lead time of 48.2.
One Hit Wonder began pulling fiercely on driver Graham Betts, and seemingly choked down and crashed through the outside fence and down the embankment on the eastern side of the track.
The uproar caused little disruption on the track as Natural Arc moved within a head of Uncle Redgee, with Josephine Shannon camping in behind the two leaders.
Coming into the home straight the Emma Turnbull driven Josephine Shannon peeled off three wide to create a three way battle up front.
Turnbull pulled the bay filly up to the two leaders and all three seemingly hit the line simultaneously.
On closer inspection Uncle Redgee had pulled in front by half a head, to Natural Arc and Josephine Shannon, passing the post in 2.56.8 with a mile rate of 2.7 flat.
Harris said he “was lucky enough to lob in front, avoid the trouble and plod home.”
“It’s been a long time coming,” Harris laughed.