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A stunning finishing burst from what looked a hopeless position set tongues wagging at Ellerslie on the weekend when promising three-year-old Night Voyage scored at upset odds in the VRC Trophy (1400m).

The last start Waipa maiden winner was sent out at better than $50 on the tote, with that price looking a little lean with less than 600 metres to run as he was dead last and a conservative 15 lengths from the pacemaker. Hooked to the outside of the track the son of Bachelor Duke quickly strode up to the leaders at the 200 metre mark and then held on strongly to score by a neck from the well supported Stradivarius with Shot In The Dark flashing home late for third.

Co-trainer Graeme Sanders, who prepares the gelding with daughter Debbie Sweeney, was delighted with the performance although a little bemused with the lack of support for his charge amongst the betting public.

“I couldn’t believe what he was paying as a last start winner but I guess people just didn’t rate that midweek form,” he said.

“We knew it was a decent step up in class but the improvement in him in the last three months has been immense so we were pretty sure he wouldn’t disgrace himself.”

Raced by his breeder, The Oaks Stud principal Dick Karreman, Night Voyage was recording his second win from seven starts with Sanders confident there was more in store.

“He’s really just coming to it now as he was quite weak early on,” he said.

“We took him to Waipukurau and New Plymouth before Christmas and then tipped him out for a short break. Those trips were the making of him and I’m sure he has more to offer as he gets older.

“He is definitely better going right-handed and will handle a little cut in the ground so we will take a look now at what might be on offer over the next few weeks before we put him aside for a spell.”

A heady ride from apprentice Alyssa Schwerin made it a double for the Sanders/Sweeney team when she guided Naughty Knuckles to a comprehensive victory in the last race of the day.

“Alyssa had ridden him at his last start and what she learned that day paid off as she rode him perfectly to get the win,” noted Sanders.

“We were confident of a big run as we did have the Easter Stakes in mind for him at one stage but we ran out of time to get him up the ratings enough to get a start.

“He has a big future in front of him now he’s worked out what the game is all about so he shouldn’t be hard to place in the coming weeks as well.”