Sister rivalry to headline Bred for Speed Silver Series

There’s a prestigious title on the line in the Lyn McPherson Memorial Breed For Speed Silver Series Final at Melton on Saturday night, but that’s not the whole story for one family.

VALERIE LANE.
VALERIE LANE. Picture: HRV

There's also bragging rights up for grabs for the Mannings.

Veteran trainer Peter Manning has Valerie Lane engaged in the feature for trotting mares and his daughter Michelle Wight has Minimez in the line-up.

Then on the track, Wight will also take the reins on her charge and sister Kerryn Manning will be in the sulky on Valerie Lane.

Minimez is the lightest-raced in the final, with the four-year-old having had just eight starts, but is developing nicely for Wight with two wins - the latest being at Maryborough on January 15.

She followed that with an excellent second to Exalted in a heat of this series to lock in a spot in the final - showing gate speed and then finishing well in the sprint lane.

Minimez is second generation member of the Wight stable, being out of Frances Annie, a 15-time for the Great Western trainer.

It is a similar story for Valerie Lane, with her dam Valsue spending most of her racing careering the care of Peter Manning.

Valerie Lane has won eight of 33 starts and has started the new season strongly with wins at Ballarat and Maryborough before contesting two Breed For Speed heats at Bendigo.

Her best heat result was a third to I Dream Of Millie.

The Jess Tubbs-trained Exalted is favourite for the Silver final after heat win in 1:56.5.

The Chook heads the market for trainer Tayla Fellows in the Lyn McPherson Memorial Breed For Speed Bronze Series Final on an all-trots program at Melton headlines by the star-packed $75,000 TAB Australian Trotting Grand Prix.

Last-start winner Lindy Grace, Rockford Peach and She Chocolatier are also well in the market in what appears to be an open race.


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