Will it be the Grand Prix for talented trotter?

Anton Golino looks likely to use a tried and true method in a bid to win harness racing’s TAB Australian Trotting Grand Prix later this month.

Golino has gun mare Im Ready Jet sitting second, just two points behind Andy Gath-trained Majestuoso, in the Aurora Australis standings and will tackle heats of the Lyn McPherson Memorial Breed For Speed Gold Series at Shepparton on Wednesday night.

Providing all goes well and she qualifies as expected, Golino will then have to decide whether he tackles the $50,000 Gold Series Final or $100,000 Grand Prix, both of which are held at Melton on February 26.

It’s “more than likely” the Cardigan trainer will opt for the latter given the better prizemoney and fact it doubles as the eighth and last leg of the Aurora Australis, which carries a $50,000 bonus for the winner.

However, the Gold Series Final is also the first leg of the Trotting Mares Triple Crown, a series which carries up to $30,000 in bonus prizemoney.

Golino used the Gold Series heats as a lead-up to Grand Prix glory with star mare Dance Craze back in 2020.

Im Ready Jet is likely to start a short-priced favourite in Wednesday’s heat at Shepparton.

She will take on stablemate Hopeful Beauty and David Aiken-trained Aldebaran Crescent, who look the leading chances in the race.

Second round heats of the Breed For Speed Silver and Bronze series – for four-year-old 52-66 and up-to-51 rated trotting mares respectively – are also part of the card.

Finals for those divisions will be held at Melton on February 26.

Click here to view the fields for Shepparton on Wednesday.

By Tim O’Connor for HRV