ELORA, ON — Australian Stock captured the $130,000 two-year-old trotting colt Gold Final at Grand River Raceway on Monday afternoon in commanding style, cruising around the half-mile oval in 2:01.4.

Sprinting away from Post 2, the Angus Hall son and driver Chris Christoforou, Jr. took full advantage of an early miscue by track record holder Ernie B Earnest and had established a two length lead by the :29.4 opening quarter. Through the 1:01.4 half and 1:32.3 three-quarters the pair continued to maintain a comfortable margin over the rest of the field and, although fan favourite Evidence As mounted a late challenge, Australian Stock cruised home to a one and one-quarter length victory.

Elimination winners Evidence As and Beer Budget crossed under the wire in lock step, but after reviewing the finish Grand River Raceway officials determined that Evidence As had nosed Beer Budget into third-place.

Australian Stock earned his way into Monday’s Gold Final with a runner-up finish in the track record performance by Ernie B Earnest last week. The elimination was the Angus Hall son’s first start of the season after a trio of qualifiers at Mohawk Racetrack saw him improve his time and placing with each outing, culminating in a qualifying win on July 14 in 2:03.2.

Roy Jeffries of Schomberg trains Australian Stock for breeder Chris Christoforou, Sr., who bought the colt back out of the 2005 Fall Extravaganza Sale when bidding stalled at $13,000. The Campbellville resident appears to have made a wise decision, as the colt has already earned $70,765 in his first two starts.

Australian Stock will have an opportunity to add to his Ontario Sires Stakes bank roll when the two-year-old trotting colts meet up for the fourth time this season on Sunday, Aug. 13 at Flamboro Downs.

The two-year-old trotting colt Gold Final warmed Grand River Raceway fans up for the feature race on the popular Industry Day program, the $300,000 Battle Of Waterloo for Ontario-sired two-year-old pacing colts, and for the fifth time since the race’s inception in 1998 the trophy went to trainer Carl Jamieson.

The Princeton resident sent three colts into the Final and took home 75 per cent of the $300,000 purse as Warrawee Ideal nosed out his stablemate Test Flight for the 1:56.4 win. Jamieson’s son Jody piloted Warrawee Ideal to the win, the Million Dollar Cam son’s third of the season, for his father, the George Arthur Stable of Rockwood, Fred Brayford of Alliston and Robin Raine of Cumbria, ENG.

Ontario’s exciting two-year-old pacing colts will join their trotting counterparts at Flamboro Downs on Sunday, Aug. 13 for their fourth Gold Series event.

For complete results please go to:

http://www.standardbredcanada.ca/results/data/rgrvrmo.html#N7