SHEPPARTON continues to be a happy hunting ground for Bendigo region harness tracing trainers.
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Four of the nine races on Wednesday night's program were claimed by the Bendigo brigade. It was one more than the trio of wins produced at the second to last meeting at Shepparton on March 5.
They were contributed by trainers from several points around the region.
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In-form Strathfieldsaye-based trainer Glenn Douglas got the ball rolling when the four-year-old Ozzie Major picked up the ninth win of his 62-race career in the night's opening event.
The gelding has struck good form in the early months of 2019 with four wins and five placings from 15 starts this year.
It continued a golden run for Douglas, who notched a winner at Melton on Saturday night with Wotchawaitingfor, a double on Horsham Cup day last Sunday, and more success with Elegant Jewel on Monday's program at Kilmore.
Next to strike was the Heathcote father and daughter team of Terry and Tayla French, who combined for an upset win with Nelbell.
The eight-year-old mare defied her $32.60 starting price to dictate the race, courtesy of a clever front-running drive from Tayla.
The concession driver was unlucky not to add another win later in the program, when beaten in another close finish aboard the Chris Svanosio-trained Artful Christian, behind Dunrobbin.
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Todd Matthews added his name to the winner's list with returned pacer Marine Parade.
The now five-year-old gelding won on debut for the Strathfieldsaye-based Matthews at Shepparton in November 2017, but after a third nine day's later at Bendigo, spent a long stint racing in Western Australia.
Marine Parade resumed racing for Matthews last month and has showed steady improvement, with a fourth at Kilmore and second at Bendigo preceding his win on Wednesday.
With Matthews in the sulky taking full advantage of the sprint lane, Marine Parade notched win number four of his career from 25 starts.
The assault on Shepparton continued with the impressive win of Rossini, for Elmore trainer Keith Cotchin, in the three-year-old pace.
The gelding was superbly driven by Greg Sugars, who went into the race confident, after a solid effort in a stronger field at Melton on March 23.
"He raced against some very good horses down at Melton and actually wasn't beaten by that far after being dragged out of it at a vital stage," he said.
"They ran a 55 mile rate that day .... it looked a big drop in grade for him.
"It was quite an even field, but not the class he raced against last time."
The win was Rossini's second in eight starts.
Elsewhere, the Ellen Tormey-trained and driven Clever Cowboy shapes as a horse to watch, after an eye-catching second behind the short-priced favourite Rothko ($1.20) in just the gelding's fifth trip to the track.
Racing on Thursday is at Maryborough.
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