Victorian horseman Matt Craven has won the $20,000 UBET Trainers Grand Slam harness bonus, part of UBET's generous $600,000 sponsorship of the 2018 Winter Racing Carnival across three codes.
The sponsorship included $120,000 in bonuses attached to a string of feature harness events, with a $20,000 bonus offered to any trainer that could win two, or more, of the following features;
- UBET Blacks A Fake
- QLD Derby
- QLD Oaks
- QLD Trotters Cup
Craven picked up the $20,000 bonus after winning the QLD Trotters Cup with Our Dreamlover on July 14, then the G2 Queensland Derby with Master Moonline on Saturday.
"On behalf of all of the connections we'd like to thank UBET for putting something like (this bonus) on offer," Craven said.
"Yesterday it was sleet, rain and hailstones (at home) so to arrive here in Queensland to a beautiful day and then land a result like this is a huge thrill. Thanks to UBET for the support, it's much appreciated."
TABCORP Head of Wagering in Queensland Sean Scott was on course to congratulate Craven on the win.
"It's a great opportunity for TABCORP and UBET to support harnes racing, so well done and congratulations," he said to Craven.
Amanda Turnbull-trained Tact Tate was in line to win a $50,000 bonus, had he managed to win Saturday's Group 1 UBET Blacks A Fake, after he won the G2 Sunshine Sprint a year earlier.
However, the feature race was taken out by the Tim Butt-trained Let It Ride.