A brilliant frontrunning display landed seven year old gelding Arber the Stawell Farm Supplies Pacing Cup at Laidlaw Park on Sunday.
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Driver Gavin Lang wasted no time taking Arber to the front and he rated the gelding to perfection.
Turning for home, Arber had shot clear and was in no danger in the run to the judge, recording a nine and a half metre win from Uncle Wingnut, with Macho Comacho third.
The win was made all the more special in that Arber set a new track record, posting a mile rate of 2.01.5 after almost identical third and fourth quarter splits of 28.6 and 28.5 seconds respectively. The previous record of 2.02.0 was set by Keayang Hanover in 2008.
Gavin Lang was thrilled with the Pacing Cup win and put it all down to the astute placement of the horse by trainer Tim Bolitho.
"To have horses at their peak for these types of races (country cups) they need to be placed well," Lang said after the emphatic win.
"Tim has done a magnificent job with this horse. His placement has just been impeccable."
Prior to Sunday's record breaking win in the Pacing Cup, Arber had been racing in brilliant fashion.
He won as a short priced favourite at Melton and then ran a close second in the St Arnaud Cup off a 10 metre handicap behind Jadahson, which was sent out the popular pick in Sunday's Stawell Pacing Cup.
Arber was also close up at his last start at Geelong, finishing second to Misteronetwo after gaining a run along the sprint lane.
Lang said he was never concerned about the extra journey on Sunday, with Arber showing his versatility in recent times over distances ranging from 1720 metres to the 2290 metres in Sunday's Pacing Cup.
"He pretty much just does what we ask of him," Lang said.
"He's very versatile and that allows Tim to be able to pick the right races for him, whether they are over the shorter distances or the longer distance like today."