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Classic Choice scores dominant victory in $20,000 Albany Cup to give Howlett third win in the feature race

Taj StubberAlbany Advertiser
The Barry Howlett-trained Classic Choice wins the $20,000 Albany Cup (2690m) for Mitchell Miller.
Camera IconThe Barry Howlett-trained Classic Choice wins the $20,000 Albany Cup (2690m) for Mitchell Miller. Credit: Daryl Hallows (Paceway Photos)

Barry Howlett claimed his third $20,000 Wellington and Reeves Albany Cup (2690m) in the past five years after Classic Choice scored a dominant all the way victory on Saturday night.

Howlett quinellaed the feature race at Albany Harness Racing Club with favourite Sugar Street running second and he also finished the night with a winning treble.

The Busselton trainer has now won Albany’s biggest race three times, with Classic Choice joining Major Stare (2018) and Culpeka (2020).

Classic Choice also broke the track record by three seconds.

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“It’s a great feeling to win country cups,” Howlett said.

“We get very nervous before any race but feature races even more so, winning a feature race is a huge thrill and we tend to watch the replays over and over.

“The stable likes to support Albany trots each season and have had a lot of success down there.

“Classic Choice has been running terrifically in his last few starts at Pinjarra.

“Once we saw he drew front line and inside a couple of the fast beginners, we were more confident but you never know what’s going to happen in racing.

“He’s a quick beginner and a very good frontrunner, so we crossed our fingers that he’d lead and be able to run along in front as he pleased.”

Albany Cup winner Classic Choice with Mitchell Miller and sponsor Barry Panizza.
Camera IconAlbany Cup winner Classic Choice with Mitchell Miller and sponsor Barry Panizza. Credit: Daryl Hallows (Paceway Photos)

Classic Choice flew straight to the lead for driver Mitchell Miller and controlled proceedings out in front.

Heading down the back straight on the final lap, Miller upped the ante and shot clear turning for home, going on to win by 29.2m in a demolition job.

Sugar street ran second, while Tubbs Farquhar filled third.

“We will give him a couple of light days, as it’s been very hot, and potentially set him for a couple of the other country cups,” Howlett said.

“Four starts back we were considering selling him east, he would suit mile racing over their larger circuits but that’s definitely been put on hold.

“He likes to roll along at high speed in front and is getting stronger as he gets older.

“As a young horse, he was highly strung with a few silly habits but with patience, time and some gear changes he’s maturing and learning what racing’s about.

“We moved him from the stable into a paddock fulltime recently and he’s enjoyed it.”

The Adrian Shanks-trained Step It Up claims victory in race seven down the outside for Deni Roberts.
Camera IconThe Adrian Shanks-trained Step It Up claims victory in race seven down the outside for Deni Roberts. Credit: Daryl Hallows (Paceway Photos)

Howlett won race three with $1.04 favourite Jackpot Joe winning by 11.5m with Chris Lewis in the sulky before that pair teamed up in the final race to guide Save This Dance to victory by 5.2m.

Driver Kyle Symington finished the night with a double as he drove the Bianca Ashcroft-trained Fleur Du Maquis to victory by 3.1m in race two and then the Hayden Reeves-prepared Camluck King to a narrow win in race six.

The Lang Inwood-trained Roma Rosa won the opening race by 3.5m with Lewis in the sulky, while local trainers Adrian Shanks and Cheyenne King-Davies also had success on cup night with Step It Up and Nullarbor Navajo respectively.

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