MUCH travelled Gawler trainer Aaron Bain claimed his second country cup for 2020 at the Greenwald Paceway on Saturday night.
In early January Bain travelled to Tasmania with one runner at Scottsdale and departed with the North Eastern pacing cup trophy as part of his luggage when Ideal World was successful.
The Mount Gambier Gold Cup trophy is now also in his stable after Alcatraz Lass defied running down when the pressure was applied to lead all the way with Adelaide driver Mark Billinger in the sulky.
Alcatraz Lass had not raced for over a month and was chasing a quartet of win following victories late last year at Mildura, Port Pirie and Globe Derby Park.
Despite her great form, the four-year-old mare was at big odds ($6.50-$10) in chalking up career win number four.
“There were doubts with the horse after trialling last weekend when she failed to handle the turns but that was rectified during the week,” stable spokesman Peter Bain revealed post race.
“It has been a wonderful night for the stable with a winning double and the trip back to Gawler tonight will not seem near as far.”
Hopes of a local cup win were left to Captain Snoozzze and Aardens Winstar in the dash up the straight and they chased in vain to finish second and third respectively.
For Captain Snoozzze, it meant being runner-up in successive years, but was nevertheless a top effort from a second row draw at only his third run from an 11-month spell.
The easing favourite Philadelphia Freedom ($2.2.-$3.20) tired badly to run last after working outside the leader, while money for Crowded Reactor ($4.80-$3.80) was off the mark when he finished seventh.
Billinger, trainer Jim Barker and driver Rod Barker shared the honours with Bain on the eight-race card, all with doubles.
Clearing weather throughout Saturday resulted in a good modern day attendance for the club’s biggest meeting of the season.
