by Tim O’Connor
Top reinsman Greg Sugars claimed to have coined the “True Mildura Style” catchphrase after an action-packed running of the 2022 Aaron Bain Racing Mildura Trotters Cup on Friday night.
Sugars and his charge One Over All had to withstand some serious pressure through the race, but eventually prevailed with a convincing success in the Group 3 feature.
One Over All was heavily supported in betting and strolled quickly to the lead after getting away cleanly from the standing start, but didn’t get it all his own way for long. Nathan Jack and Illawong Stardust surged up quickly from their 30m back mark to pour on the pressure in the early stages and sat parked until galloping shortly after the bell.
From there, the race was in One Over All’s control and he cruised down to score by 8m over runner-up Indefensible (Daryl Crone/Neil McCallum) with Garshaway (Laura Crossland) third.
The mile rate of 2:04.3min was less than two seconds outside the 2600m standing start record set by Our Twentyten in 2016.
“I’m going to pen a phrase here, and I don’t know if you’ve heard it before, but True Mildura Style. I think that’s what it was,” Sugars said with a laugh in the post-race interview.
“I was getting away with murder early and was just starting to think to myself it was probably only a matter of time until someone comes looking… most likely it was going to be Nathan and there he was, quick as a flash.
“I didn’t expect to get it all my own way for too long and that’s what racing’s all about here. You’ve got to get up and into it if you think you’re good enough and have a crack.
“Thankfully our horse, he stood up and was counted tonight.”
The four-year-old gelding was only having his fifth start for trainer Jess Tubbs on Friday night after being sent to her Myrniong stable from New Zealand late last year. His second Australian victory takes his record to seven wins from 27 starts.