A FIRST metropolitan treble has capped a career-best night for Junortoun trainer Chris Svanosio at Tabcorp Park Melton.
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The Group 1-winning trainer scored victories with his trio of trotters Kyvalley Finn, Norquay and Magicool to continue a prosperous first few months of the 2019-20 season.
Those wins formed part of an impressive total of five for Bendigo region trainers at harness racing headquarters, with the Glenn Douglas-trained Vandanta successful in the night's opening race, and Marong-trainer Shaun McNaulty getting a second win in three starts with Hashtag.
Svanosio was in the sulky for two of the wins (Kyvalley Finn and Magicool), while the stable's Michelle Phillips took the reins on the rapidly emerging Norquay, who has won four of five starts since arriving at Junortoun.
Two of those victories have been at Melton.
Svanosio was rapt to have secured his first metropolitan treble as a trainer and progress his tally to eight for the season.
"We were going down hoping we might get one winner," he said.
"To have three of them all sit in the death and then be able to poke their head in front at the end of the race was amazing.
"It was the first treble I've had as a trainer down there (in Melbourne). It's a real thrill - that's where you want to be winning races.
"To win with three trotters and win the way they did is a hard thing to achieve."
Svanosio had rated the first of his treble, Kyvalley Finn, as likely his best chance on the night.
"They all worked together a couple of days before race day and Kyvalley Finn beat the other two," he said.
"From there we were hoping the other two might run good races and earn a cheque, but it must have been good track work as they all came out and won."
The win of Kyvalley Finn ended a run of nine starts without a win for the five-year-old gelding, who was third in his previous run in the Swan Hill Trotters Cup.
He will continue to be aimed at country cup events around Victoria.
"Swan Hill was his first go in a country cup and he ran well, so we'll look at a few more cups," Svanosio said.
"Magicool will be the same. He ran second in the Kilmore Trotters Cup, so hopefully can pick a country cup over the next couple of months.
"And Norquay is definitely getting up in class now, she'll have to step up to consistent metropolitan racing and hopefully she can make that step.
"She's been a great little pick up for the owners and I with four wins from five."
Norquay is owned by a syndicate of locals, including the trainer's father and former long-serving Bendigo Harness Racing Club committee member Peter Svanosio.
An eighth Melton win boosted Magicool's overall record to 12 wins and four placings from 22 starts for prize earnings of $144,465.
Svanosio praised the performance of Phillips, not only aboard Norquay, but also on Repeat After Me, who finished fifth behind Hashtag.
"She is driving great at the moment and it's good to see her getting wins down at Melton." he said.
"She's up in the top five or six in the junior driver (standings) and is improving all the time.
"I'm hoping she can get a few more regular drives at Melton and win a few more."
Phillips came into the meeting in good form following a double at Mildura last Wednesday night for trainers Kate Attard and Ben Yole.
Svanosio said the total of five winners from the region's trainers highlighted the depth of Bendigo racing at the moment.
"There are a lot of good trainers here and we all get along pretty good," he said.
"There are good trials here most weeks at Bendigo to get your horses going, that's a massive advantage for the trainers round here.
"I had Magicool at the trials last week; to give him a little hit-out had him cherry ripe for Saturday."
A successful start to the season for Svanosio has extended to the sulky with 10 wins, including a Group 1 success with the Rickie Alchin-trained New South Wales trotter Tough Monarch.
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