Impressive double lifts Anderson to trainers’ title

A double to Peter Anderson on Friday night helped him clinch the 2018-19 trainers’ premiership at the Albany Harness Racing Club after both Adda Paris and Life To The Max were successful in the penultimate fixture of the season.

Anderson and Barry Howlett had been involved in a terrific battle for the title of leading club trainer during the season, but two victories and two second placings on Friday’s eight-race card shot Anderson well clear.

The Byford trainer is 27 points clear of Howlett in the standings heading into this Friday’s final meeting.

Adda Paris was an impressive winner of the Nullakai Vet 3YO Pace (2258m). Driver Deni Roberts made good use of the draw to lead throughout and beat the favourite Ashima by 8.3m on the line.

Roberts teamed up with Anderson to win race 4 later on with Life To The Max, which was backed in to $1.60 favourite on the tote.

Jumping fast from the inside of the front line, Life To The Max broke through for the first time since September after narrowly edging out Batavia On Fire by 1.9m in a busy finish.

Highview Sadler and Girlfromdandalup both ran second for the Anderson stable as well.

Trainer Dean Bielby scored a winning double on the programm with Secret Delight and Rebel With A Cause both saluting for rising reinswomen Emily Suvaljko.

Local trainers Charlie Draper and Graham Cummins were in the winners’ circle as well.

The back end of the card was dominated by Albany trainer Ian Mulcahy and driver Mitchell Miller, winning races seven and eight.

Reinsman Donald Harper did not have a winner at the meeting but drew closer to Aaron Beckett in the drivers’ premiership. Beckett leads on 65 points ahead of Harper (61 points), while Suvaljko has jumped to 55 after her double.

Albany’s final meeting is on Friday, highlighted by the $10,000 Denmark Cup.