THERE was some added joy for connections following Hashtag's imposing win at Lord's Raceway on Wednesday night.
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The Shaun McNaulty-trained gelding was able to equal the track record by winning the $12,000 Garrads Horse and Hound Pace (NR 70 to 120) in an impressive mile rate of 1:51:9.
Hashtag's record-equalling run comes little more than two months after the Maree Campbell-trained Belittled set a new mark with his win at Bendigo on February 13.
Fresh from the feat, the Marong-based trainer was already questioning how long the shared record might stand.
"The track is flying at the moment, it probably won't be the last one (track record) for a while I'd say," McNaulty said.
"It's probably the quickest track I've seen here for a while."
The six-year-old son of Shadyshark Hanover and Elvira Bromac, has proved a relatively consistent performer since making his way to the McNaulty stable in mid-2019.
He now boasts four wins, including two at Tabcorp Park Melton, and a trio of thirds from 15 starts for his current stable.
His overall record features 18 wins and 16 placings from 82 starts for career earnings of $151,141.
Spelled after his unplaced run in the Gunbower Cup last December, McNaulty said Hashtag had returned better than ever, to rack up a pair of wins at Mildura and Bendigo and a third.
"He's definitely come back a stronger horse, a lot stronger than when I first got him," he said.
"It probably comes down to soundness. We've done a bit of vet work on him and brought him back this prep and he's as good as he's been.
"He's got a bit of arthritis in his knees, but as long as we manage him, he should be right."
Confined for the moment to racing within the central region of Victoria, McNaulty is dreaming of a day when he might again be able to target a country cup with Hashtag.
"Our aim was the Mildura Cup and that's why he went to Mildura first-up, to get ready for it," he said.
"He's always raced at Melton, he's on a pretty high and tough mark, which puts him up against some really good horses.
"We'll just keep racing him and hopefully keep running a drum and earning some money. But when we come back to normal racing, we'll race him at Melton and in country cups."
Wednesday night's win was undoubtedly the biggest of three on the comeback trail for driver Rod Lakey, who ended the meeting with a double, after steering home the Lynne Mercieca-trained mare Art Finest earlier on the program.
The returning reinsman's first winner back was also on a McNaulty-trained horse, Gobsmacked.
"I remember the first day he came out here and drove one for me at track work, you knew he could get the horses to run for him, he's just very kind with him," the trainer said.
"He is going well and it's good to see him getting a few outside drives now and a few winners.
"That was his first double back, which is great for him."
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