JUNORTOUN trainer Gary Donaldson's inkling Rocks Arnt Pets could be quick to follow up on an impressive win at Mildura less than a fortnight ago has proved right on the money.
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After going without a win for 11 months, the six-year-old gelding has now won two straight after storming home for a convincing 11.9m win in the NR up to 50 pace at Shepparton on Tuesday night.
One out and four back at the bell, Rocks Arnt Pets - driven by James Herbertson as he was at Mildura - loomed up to the leaders on the home bend and quickly put the win beyond doubt in the straight.
It was the son of Pet Rock out of the mare Halfa Falcon's eighth career win from 62 starts and another thrill for his large ownership group, which includes the 34-strong membership of the Pacers Bendigo 1 and 2 syndicates.
Speaking after their win last month during the Mildura Pacing Cup Carnival, Donaldson hinted Rocks Arnt Pets could be nearing the end of his time in Victoria, but further suggested he had 'one or two more race wins' in him.
He did not have to wait long, with Rocks Arnt Pets notching up his second career win at Shepparton.
The in-form gelding broke his maiden at Shepparton back in April 2019 at start number seven and on Tuesday night improved his record at the Kialla Paceway to two wins and a placing from seven starts.
A good night for Bendigo region participants at Shepparton was headlined by a treble for the trainer-driver combination of Julie Douglas and Jack Laugher.
The double was punctuated by a return to form by Pray Tell, who survived a tough battle with No Win No Worries (Glenn Bull) and the fast-closing Orbie (Shaun Kittel and Laura Crossland), to score a tough 1m win.
The four-year-old mare won for the first time since January 6, snapping a streak of 13 runs without a win, despite rarely running a poor race.
It was the daughter of Western Terror's fifth career win from 50 starts. She has been placed on 25 occasions.
The Douglas stable's affinity for producing wins with stable newcomers continued when Digyourheelsin claimed the four-year-old and older NR up to 50 pace.
Trained until recently by Colin Godden at Nanneella, the four-year-old mare won at her first attempt for the Strathfieldsaye stable and picked up her fourth career won at start number 41.
Digyourheelsin was not without form, having finished third in his last start for Godden at Echuca last month, with his record this season now standing at two wins and seven placings from 15 starts.
The Douglas-Laugher treble was completed with a win by Shaken Sands in the second last race on the program.
The three-year-old filly won for the second time in her last three starts.
She has had only six starts for the Douglas stable for two wins, after going winless in her first seven for her original trainer Danny Thackeray.
A treble for Julie Douglas (60 wins this season) extended her lead at the top of the Victorian trainer's premiership to 20 over Emma Stewart, going into Wednesday night's meeting at Ballarat.
Meanwhile, Elmore trainer Frank Barac got his second win of the season with his consistent five-year-old mare Madam Reactor.
The chestnut daughter of Auckland Reactor reached the front for the first time down the back straight and was never headed in winning by 2.3m over Little Demon (Greg Lewis and Brad Chisholm) and Ajay Breezy Rose (Colin Goden and Ellen Tormey).
Madam Reactor, who provided Herbertson with the second-leg of a driving double, added her sixth career win in 62 starts and edged past the $50,000 mark in earnings.
Her previous win this season was also achieved at Shepparton on January 27, driven by Bailey McDonough.
READ MORE: Madam Reactor gets reward for consistency
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