Incredible start to semi-finals night

IT DIDN’T take Emma Stewart long to exert her dominance on tonight’s Australasian Breeders’ Crown semi-final meeting at Tabcorp Park Melton.

With a stable bursting with quality youngsters, Stewart and her partner Clayton Tonkin have been the benchmark among the pacers’ divisions from the outset.

The pair won six of the seven two-year-old qualifiers in Ballarat before capturing three of the six three-year-old heats in which they had a runner.

So far this evening the semis for two-year-old fillies have been conducted with Stewart winning both.

Just for good measure the record-breaking horsewoman prepared the first five across the finish in the opening qualifier and the minor placegetter in the second.

As such Stewart will have an incredible seven starters in next week’s Group One Final!

That is a 100 per cent strike rate from semi-finalists in that category from the stable into the decider.

“It has been an amazing start to the night,” Stewart said. “We’re not expecting it to continue as the night goes on, but it would be nice.

“We’re just rapt for our owners and hope they all get the best of luck in the Final.”

After working to the lead from barrier seven, Ladies In Red cruised to an effortless seven-and-a-half metre win from Treachery in the first semi.

Rogue Wave was two metres away third followed by Joanna and Dangerous Hands.

Stretching her unbeaten record to six, the daughter of Mach Three rated 1:55.3 over 2240 metres, with her time a tenth of a second slower than Tough Tilly in the next semi.

Leading throughout from gate two, Tough Tilly was never seriously challenged on her way to a 15-and-a-half metre win from Momentslikethese, with Platinum Sparkle a metre away third.

“They all did a terrific job,” Stewart said. “Ladies In Red is a special filly, but she’ll knows she’s in a contest nest week.

“As it has proven before, the draw can always be a great equaliser.”