ANOTHER week, another feature win - young reinsman Jack Callaghan continued his impressive start to the year when guiding Surf Ace to victory in the Bathurst Harness Racing Club's Star Trek Final on Wednesday night.
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The 20-year-old, who had won the previous race aboard Carlas Mach, made his move with around 500m to go in the feature aboard the Jack Trainor trained gelding.
Surf Ace ($3) blazed to the lead then held off a late challenge by Misterhindmarsh ($3.20) to win by a half neck.
While the Star Trek Final did not hold Group 2 status like the Bendigo Cup and Shepparton Cup he's already won this month with Spirit Of St Louis, Callaghan still enjoyed the success.
"It's good to be here. I don't get to come here too often, but it's good to be here and good to get a couple of wins," he said.
Callaghan is fast closing in on 300 career wins, his Bathurst double taking his tally to 293. While it is only his fourth season of driving, he has earned close to $2.7 in stakes and he can now call himself the winner of a Bathurst feature which dates back to 1963.
A heat winner a week earlier in his heat for Campbelltown trainer Trainor - a man who has a 50 percent winning strike rate so far this season - Surf Ace started as the second elect in the final.
From barrier four he found himself three wide in his early strides, but Callaghan soon got a sit. The Somebeachsomewhere x Henin Hardenne gelding was one out and three back as the bell sounded, stablemate Werent Watching leading the way.
Callaghan made his move a little earlier than he wanted, but Surf Ace was quick to make up ground and led into the straight.
Classical Music challenged on his inside and Misterhindmarsh made a late dive, but Callaghan said he knew Surf Ace was headed for the win. He got home in splits of 28.5 and 28.3 seconds for a 1:57.7 mile rate.
"I could hear them coming but I never felt like he was going to get beat either, they might have got to him, but they weren't going to get past him. He fought on well," Callaghan said.
"I kind of wanted to wait as long as possible [before making a move], we were nearly at the 400 and he was travelling pretty well, and when I pulled out he moved really well. He went super."
Callaghan will be chasing another feature win this Saturday night when steering Spirit Of St Louis in the Group 1 Ballarat Cup.
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