Kneedeep N Custard rushed towards the leader and landed a neck in front in the final strides to win the $10,800 Open Handicap Pace at Fraser Downs on Sunday (March 8).
Mach Steady parked around the first turn and took command from early leader Rockin N Talkin past a :26.3 first quarter. Driver Scott Knight angled Kneedeep N Custard first over from seventh and advanced towards the pacesetter through a :55.3 half.
Stablemate Iwontdothatagain supplied brief cover to the outer flow in the backside with Boiling Oar positioned second over. Kneedeep N Custard raced third over past three-quarters in 1:24 and ducked around the stalled tier rounding the final turn. Mach Steady meanwhile owned a length lead into the stretch that gradually diminished as Kneedeep N Custard drew closer, eventually snagging the lead in the final strides to win narrowly in 1:52.4. Mach Steady settled for second with Boiling Oar finishing third.
Co-owned by trainer Kelly Hoerdt with Blair Corbeil and Fred Gilbert, Kneedeep N Custard won his 16th race from 24 starts, earning $212,802. The four-year-old Custard The Dragon gelding returned $7.70 to win and gave Hoerdt three training victories on the day. Hoerdt’s other victories came with Thinkingofyoubabe ($2.80) in the opener and Good Day Is Coming ($2.40) in Race 5.
Trainer Rod Therres also scored a hat trick on the afternoon. He steered his trainee Big Boy Hill ($8.00) to a wire-to-wire victory in Race 3 to collect his first win on the day and hopped in the bike again to steer his pupil Lively Rocket ($5.60) to victory in Race 6. Therres then handed the lines to Allan Molloy, who drove Somewhere Bettor ($4.00) to victory in Race 8.
To view Sunday's harness racing results, click on the following link: Sunday Results - Fraser Downs.