Racing: Stent stars in richest trot

Kiwi trotter Stent won the Great Southern Star race at Melton, Victoria. Photo / Thinkstock

Kiwi trotter Stent won Australasia's richest race for squaregaiters the Great Southern Star at Melton, Victoria, last night.

Run on the lines of Sweden's Elitlopp, with two $50,000 heats and a $300,000 final on the same night, the Colin De Filippi-trained son of Dream Vacation was just too strong for Australasia's top trotters in the final over 1720m.

Outsider Vincennes, with visiting Canadian reinsman Jody Jamieson in the cart, finished powerfully for second ahead of Flying Isa, a former Kiwi.

It was Flying Isa, with Luke McCartney in the bike, who began the fastest, blasting out from wide of the mobile gate to cross to the lead early.

But De Filippi moved Stent up to take over the lead at the 1200m and he dictated terms from there, setting a leisurely pace as the others awaited a sprint home.

Last year's winner, Keystone Del, another former Kiwi, moved up to sit parked but could find nothing extra when Stent turned up the heat at the 800m mark.

He was in control by the turn and was untroubled to win by a length-and-a-half, with Vincennes, who raced without shoes in Swedish fashion, getting up to beat Flying Isa for the minor placings. The winning time was a 2m 05.6s, a 1m 57.1s mile rate.

Earlier, Dexter Dunn continued his golden run of form to get Sheemon up to beat favourite Keystone Del in the first and fastest of the two heats.

Bruneschelli was third ahead of Vincennes. Flying Isa, Steal A Sixpence and Cold Sister also qualified, making it seven of the 10-horse final from the first heat.

Stent cruised to an easy win in the second heat, ahead of Kyvalley Blur and Neville Vaughn.