Pacing: Lombo Socrates lays down Cups challenge

Lombo Socrates is launching an attack on the country cups after claiming the $10,000 Albany Finance Limited Pacing Cup on Friday night.

The Giles Inwood trained gelding added win number 20 to his resume after beating Shoab and Jimmy Cruise.

Lombo Socrates ran as the favourite in the big race and was caught wide on the first lap before reinsmen and brother Lang Inwood settled him at the front to set the victory up.

Giles Inwood said he was pleased to win the Albany Cup and it capped off a terrific night.

“I was a bit worried on the first lap running wide but we got to the breeze and from there he went super,” he said.

“These longer distances suit him and tonight it just turned out to plan.”

Inwood said he would enter the five-year-old at Gloucester Park on Friday night and was confident of a strong showing.

“He should win a couple more in town but looking ahead we may target the country cups coming up.”

The Collie Cup will be held later this month and the Wagin Cup in late April.

It turned out to be a terrific night for Inwood who trained three other winners on the Albany Harness Racing Club’s biggest night of the year.

Kinsfolk was victorious in the Harold Reid Memorial Pace, Village Vagabond claimed the Colin Park Pace while Eedemup beat favourite Village Playboy in the Graham Manley Automotive Repairs Conditioned Handicap.

Lang Inwood was aboard Giles Inwood’s four winners while also training and driving his own Walkabout Adda to the winning post in the Super Charge Batteries Graduation Pace.

Giles Inwood, who is serving a racing suspension, attributed his winning formula to the amount of races his horses run.

“We like to run them every week rather than wait and pick the right race each fortnight because they lose fitness very quickly.”

Although his suspension ends on Friday night, he was unsure if he would drive the cup winner in Perth.

“Lang has won twice aboard him so I’m tossing it up but it’s hard to change a winning formula,” he said.