Clergate trainer Marty Hallinan's exceptional run continued last Monday night to quinella the $12,000 to-the-winner Bathurst Gold Cup (520m) when Zipping Tess led all-the-way to hold out Zipping Gilbert and the Frank Hurst-trained King Cobber in a time of 29.86.
Pre-race Hallinan said he thought Zipping Tess could win if she jumped to the front and that is how the race panned out.
Hallinan was not at Bathurst but managed to watch the race via Sky Channel from The Meadows.
"I'm in Melbourne at the moment to have a bitch mated to Dyna Tron and pick up some maidens from Glenn Rounds. My son Cameron and I are also going to attend the Judy Hayley Memorial meeting at Sandown on Thursday night," he said.
"Judy was Glenn's partner and he asked me to come down for the night. It has been two years since Judy passed away so we planned this a month ago.
"Judy was a very nice person and a great trainer."
Hallinan said he was helping trial some dogs at The Meadows when the Bathurst Gold Cup was run, and after watching the replay later thought Zipping Gilbert may have been a shade unlucky.
"In the back straight I thought Zipping Gilbert had her but she fought on too well for him, although I watched the replay when I got home from trialling at The Meadows and on the home corner Zipping Tess just ran off the track a little bit and took Zipping Gilbert's running and stopped his momentum for a split second.
"Even though he went 29.79 in his heat, Bathurst is not a track that really suits him. I think Wentworth Park and Richmond are the tracks that suit him best."
Hallinan said his recent success could not be achieved without plenty of help.
"I was rapt with the Bathurst Cup quinella and so was everyone at home," he said.
"I can't do it all myself. Trevor Jones junior, who works for us, and John Chapman handled the dogs at Bathurst."
Hallinan's success should continue at Richmond this afternoon when Zipping Electra exits box two in race seven - the Unibet Stakes (400m).
Zipping Electra won over this course and distance in a smart 22.60 two starts back and was then far from disgraced when third at Bulli on February 19.
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