A WONDERFUL season for bright young Charlton harness racing driver Ryan Sanderson rolled on at Tabcorp Park Melton on Saturday night, with the 18-year-old scoring his first metropolitan double.
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Sanderson, who ticked past 100-career winners last month, set the scene for a big night ahead by steering the Julie Douglas-trained Captain Confetti to victory in the opening race.
He followed up later in the night with a win aboard the Jason McNaulty-trained Chissy in the $20,000 Aldebaran Park Trot.
Sanderson said it was 'a great feeling' to tick off a metropolitan double.
"I've just been very fortunate to have this opportunity, it's great," he said.
The moment was made even more special by being able to clinch the double aboard Chissy, a horse Sanderson has a great affinity with.
The emerging star has now won five races on the seven-year-old Danny Bouchea gelding, with the obvious highlights being their victories in this year's Wedderburn Trotters Cup and Saturday night's metro win.
"He's always shown a bit of ability and he's definitely got some nice speed," he said.
"Once he gets up in grade he finds his mark, but hopefully this time in he is progressing and matching it with the good ones here."
Chissy's 12th career win from 58 starts edged the McNaulty-trained trotter close to the $100,000 prize earnings mark.
"Credit to Jason and (father) Noel and everyone who helps them out, they've done really well with these trotters and I have a lot to thank for them," he said.
"They've given me a lot of nice feature races. It's a credit to them just getting these trotters right on the day.
"They've done a super job with him."
They (the McNaultys) have given me a lot of nice feature races. It's a credit to them just getting these trotters right on the day.
- Ryan Sanderson
A run of success for Sanderson, who has 26 wins so far this season, included a win last month on his home track on Charlton Cup day and a second-straight Ouyen Pacing Cup seven days later with Equity Stride, who is trained by his father Shane.
A big night for the Douglas stable at Melton included a double with Captain Confetti and Im No Outlaw and placings with Ozzie Playboy and Shortys Mate.
Im No Outlaw was nicely driven for luck by Jack Laugher, who snuck through on the pegs late to grab a barnstorming win over Huli Nien and Major Manbar.
"When you go four-back the fence like that you are relying on a lot of luck and he got all of it," said 23-year-old Laugher.
"(The tempo) just suited him down to the ground. The leaders bowled along and he just sat back there and did it under his own steam.
"When he got the run he had plenty left to sprint up the lane.
"He has been going okay, not getting that luck he got tonight.
"He's a quirky sort of horse, the less work he does early the better.
"Sometimes your second row draws, they might not suit a lot of horses, but they probably don't make much difference to him, it's more the luck in running."
Im No Outlaw, by Bettors Delight out of the mare Ideal Pocket, won for the 18th time in 85 starts for earnings of $160,526.
The win capped a successful two nights for Laugher following his win for trainer Anton Golino aboard Always Ready in the $30,000 Group 2 Bendigo Trotters Cup at Lord's Raceway on Friday night.
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