Above: Clyde trainer Jayne Davies with her 2007 Cranbourne Pacing Cup hope Penny Veejay at her stables on Tuesday.By Brad Kingsbury
HARNESS racing star Penny Veejay will carry the hopes of the district when he takes on a crack field in the Decron Cranbourne Pacing Cup on Saturday 1 December.
Trained at Clyde by leading horsewoman Jayne Davies, the gelding has taken the spotlight in a big way, downing top-level competition in recent weeks and proving beyond doubt that he is a player at the elite level.
A Cranbourne Cup win would be another achievement in Penny Veejay’s impressive career and, on form, there is every chance the recent Moonee Valley track record holder will salute on the Cranbourne Harness Racing Club’s biggest night of the year.
The home-bred pacer was victorious in a track record time when successful in the Legends Mile at Moonee Valley on Saturday 10 November, and should he be successful in the Cranbourne feature race, he would be the first locally trained pacer to win the Cup since 2000 when Tailamade Lombo, also prepared by Davies, saluted.
Davies bred the son of Village Jasper with co-owner Kevin Richards out of their former talented mare Newbold Penny, and said the horse was very much like his mother.
“We were always looking to breed with her, she was a great horse in every way,” she said.
“Fortunately he threw to her side. As a yearling he was nice and leggy, much like a thoroughbred, and as he’s matured he’s gained strength and developed nicely.”
The Davies stable has had four previous home cup victories with champion pacer Golden Reign winning twice, together with a victory each to Tailamade Lombo and Knight Rainbow.
The trainer said she was confident a fifth victory was achievable with the gelding, which has won 23 of his 58 starts and just over $280,000 in stakes.
“We love Cranbourne and do a lot of our racing there,” Davies said.
“It will be a very hard race to win. There’s a good lot of pacers around at the same mark at the moment.
“The barrier draw will be important, but I’m confident and I think he’ll be a good chance.
“He’s well and he’ll be cherry ripe for the Cranbourne Cup and also the Victoria Cup two weeks later.”
Stable driver Chris Alford will pilot Penny Veejay in the event, and Davies expects to have several runners competing in the support races on the club’s biggest night of the season.
Former Cranbourne Pacing Cup winner (2005) Robin Hood recently returned to the track after a lengthy injury enforced layoff, and will also contest the race and try to make it two Cranbourne Pacing Cup wins.
The Cranbourne Trotters Cup will also be contested on the night with a high-class field expected to take part.
