Reigning premier trainer Troy Kilgower could hardly have made a better start to the Victorian picnic racing season, backing up his Corinthian trifecta with a late double at Yea’s season opener on Saturday.
Kilgower saddled three runners in the $25,000 Corinthian at Cranbourne on October 10 and dominated the race. 
The improving mare Elly Dee overcame barrier 10 of 10 thanks to a good ride from Sebastian Galea to win her third race since joining the stable late last year as a $1750 Inglis Digital purchase.
Bluebilee, one of the last winners for the late Robbie Laing, finished second after leading for a long way at her first run for Kilgower, with stable stalwart Street Swagger rushing home into third.
Kilgower and Galea went on to combine for a race-to-race double to close the card at Yea last Saturday. Houdini Catarno benefited from recent racing in NSW, winning at her first start for the stable after one win from 26 starts for David O’Prey. Eight Shout’s scored narrowly in the last over 1600 metres, trained up for his first run since May 8.
Downtown delivery
Earlier on the card, the Yea track record for 1200 metres fell when the Ian Pankhurst-trained Downtown Man resumed with a 1½-length win in 1:11.18, taking 0.35 off the time set by Evening Spirit in February 2020. 
Ridden by Mel McDonald, Downtown Man picked up where he left off last season, his first on the picnics circuit, when his eight starts yielded four wins, two seconds and two thirds.
At last, a first for First
It took 32 attempts including eight on the picnic circuit, but the Gordon Strang-trained First Venture is no longer a maiden.
The son of Palentino caused a minor upset taking out the first race at $6 for Tracey Johnson. First Venture had finished third in the same race 12 months ago before competing all the way out to 3000 metres in what was a busy season.
The other maiden breakthrough was far less of a surprise, with the Leon and Troy Corstens and Will Larkin-trained Antiquus winning at her seventh start.
The daughter of Pierro was third at Kilmore and fourth at Tatura in the lead-up so a $2 starting price was more than satisfactory.
Alexandra hosts the Cox Plate day action this Saturday, with Healesville, Mansfield and Balnarring to follow in cup week. Alexandra sees the return of champion jockey Shaun Cooper, who missed Yea through suspension.