A quinella to litter brothers Cadillac Lloyd and Cadillac Sedan in yesterday’s Gambier Vets Maiden Stake (305 metres) at Mount Gambier’s Tara Raceway was just the start of a big day for Edenhope owner-trainer Kerry Hawker.

By Fernando Bale out of Pamela Rocks the pair was always on the pace with Cadillac Lloyd eventually running out a 3¼ length winner in 18.12 seconds.

And while Hawker would be the first to admit that she’s not altogether a regular Pick 6 contestant at the Sunday meetings, it just happened that yesterday wasn’t overly busy for her so at the last minute she had decided to lodge an entry in the free competition.

The long running Pick 6 requires entrants to select the winners of races 3 through to 8 and is sponsored by Steve and Lee Bartholomew who each week add $10 to the pool which is ultimately capped at $500.

The last time the Pick 6 had been won was back in January when Steve Patzel and Kevin Jones had shared the $500 pool.

On that occasion Charley Davidson ($1.45), Departure Gate ($1.75) and Minnie Banjo ($2.00) probably had a few players still in the mix.

But by the time Lektra Moon ($4.80) and Attuned ($2.15) had won the next two, only Jones and Patzel were left. All that was then needed was for Shady Past ($4.50) to do the right thing.

Fast forward 10 months and David Peckham’s $2.40 chance Bourne Bully sorted out plenty of players when defeating the odds-on Victor Alfred in the first of the six races. In fact, going into the second round, only three remained.

Ebby Tock ($1.25) was the next winner and from then on only two contestants remained in the Pick 6 right up to race 8.

Newport Flyer ($1.65), Mister Banjo ($1.80) and Key To Success ($2.70) followed. But for the final leg one contestant opted for Mr. Ibrox ($3.75) and the other for El Banjo ($2.25).

El Banjo was only fairly away from box four in the Hyland Fox Stake (512 m) although by the time he hit the first turn he had found the rails and was matching motors with the in-form Classic Moment.

Down the back straight El Banjo then moved into top gear before running away to a 3¼ length win in a personal best time of 29.60 seconds over Classic Moment. Filling third spot was Mr. Ibrox.
And Kerry Hawker’s last minute decision to have a crack at the Bartholomew Pick 6 jackpot resulted in her picking up the $500 jackpot.