Photo: Chanelle Lawson
By Joshua Smith, Harness News Desk
It was a fitting conclusion to the Revell Douglas Memorial Series at Cambridge Raceway on Thursday, with the late trainer’s colours carried to victory by junior reinsman Zev Meredith behind Whooshka.
The speed was on from the outset, with Alicia Harrison stoking up Pacing Hope to take an early lead, with Meredith also intent on pushing forward early, wrestling the lead off Harrison, and leaving race favourite Sharkine parked.
Meredith was able to set the pace throughout and turning for home Whooshka responded to his urgings, running home to a comfortable 3-1/4 length victory over Benjamin Button, allowing Meredith to flourish his whip to celebrate the victory.
Meredith was visibly rapt with the win, stating it was a special moment to get the victory in Douglas’ colours, which he was unaware that he would don until he arrived at the track.
“It was brilliant to get the win in Revell’s colours,” Meredith said.
“I wore his colours in the series last year and it wasn’t organised for some reason this year.
“Robbie Hughes got in touch with Don Douglas (Revell’s father) this morning and I said to Don last year I would like to wear them again this year.
“Don quickly made the trip down to Cambridge and brought the colours with him. I didn’t find out until we got to the races that I was wearing them, so that was a nice surprise.”
Meredith said he was confident once he got to the lead.
“Once I got to the top I knew Bubbles (Alicia Harrison) was the one on my back and was the one to beat,” he said.
“She was racing a bit keenly and we beat them for speed at the turn.”
While Meredith won the final race of the series, it was Alicia Harrison who took out the series, beating Meredith by just one point after running third.
“Alicia nabbed me by one point. She only had to run third to win it. I am just happy to get a win in Revell’s colours,” Meredith said.
A race later Meredith nearly recorded a double with Winners Time, however, the Andrew and Lyn Neal-trained gelding came up a head short in the Agrowquip Handicap Trot (2200m) behind Funny Face.
“I was a little gutted,” Meredith said. “Dylan (Ferguson, driver) just nabbed me in what would have been my first winning double, but that is racing.
“We had the false start and he got away well the first time and then bobbled away the second time, and that probably cost us another 20m.”
