Reinsman Trent Wheeler dominates Albany Harness Racing Club meeting driving half the winners on offer

Reinsman Trent Wheeler had a night out in Albany on Friday, finishing with four winners from the eight races held at Harold Reid Paceway. Wheeler won the first three races to kickstart his dominant display and then claimed race six before going down narrowly in a photo finish in race seven that would have made it five winners. Well-supported favourite Alexandra Thegreat was a comfortable winner of the Albany Stockfeeds 3YO Westbred Pace (2265m) to open proceedings. The Hayden Reeves-trained pacer fired straight to the lead for Wheeler from gate one and was never troubled, winning by 4.9m on the line. It was a first career win for the three-year-old filly and came on the back of a close second in Albany on January 21. Wheeler then partnered with trainer Peter Anderson to win race two over 2265m with raging favourite The Righteous. The Righteous started at short odds of $1.26 and was restrained in the early stages but finished powerfully on the final lap to get past Twentynine Twelve and prevail by 2.9m. Albany gelding Rockandrollartist then saluted in a close finish to the ASF Poultry Feed & Accessories Ms Pace (1832m). The four-year-old, from the Adrian Shanks stable, led early before Save This Dance took control of the race before the bell. Wheeler, however, got the best out of Rockandrollartist ($3.30), who sprinted hard to win by 1.3m over Pink Parade ($11) while Gota Good Warhol ($12) and Save This Dance ($14) were not far away in third and fourth respectively. The four winners were rounded out by Simply Shaz, who gave Anderson a double when claiming the Aidinville Premium Grains 4YO+ Pace (2265m). A $2.75 favourite, Simply Shaz was well driven by Wheeler to be outside the leader approaching the final lap and then skipped clear in the final stages to record an emphatic 12.2m victory. Wheeler was aboard El Jessie in race seven and finished runner-up by a half-head, denying him a fifth winner on the program. The race was won by Fleur De Maquis, trained by Bianca Ashcroft and driven by Emily Johnson. That pair had a winning double at the meeting after Pocketful Of Opals ($1.75) was successful in race five. Hayden Reeves also saddled up a winning double after Sheza Adda got up at $15 in the last race of the night.