Puppet looking for practice before International Trot

Chris Alford is hoping to gain some valuable experience racing in the United States before he partners Aldebaran Zeus (Muscle Hill) in the MGM Yonkers International Trot in New York.

Australasia’s winningest harness racing driver is planning to partner star trotting mare and Aldebaran Zeus’ stablemate Queen Elida in a race at Melton on September 2 before flying overseas the following day.

This will give him close to a week in the US before the $1million invitational feature on September 9.

“I’m going to stay with (driver) Yannick Gingras and he’s going to take me around to the tracks. Hopefully I’ll get some drives for some practice,” Alford said.

“Brad Chisholm is going to try and get me some drives, and Mitch Barker said he’d try as well.”

Chisholm works at the New Jersey stables run Richard “Nifty” Norman – where Aldebaran Zeus has been staying for the last week or so – while Barker has teamed up with Nancy Takter in East Windsor since February.

Alford, 55, is the most prolific driver in Australasian harness racing history and is fast closing in on 8000 career winners in the sulky.

Aldebaran Zeus’ trainer Brent Lilley arrived in the US last week and will remain there until the horse’s start in the MGM Yonkers International Trot next month.

The five-year-old squaregaiter has won 18 races and more than $420,000 in prizemoney, but has not started since a New Zealand campaign which ended with a sixth placing in the Group 1 Rowe Cup at Alexandra Park on May 26.

The reigning Victorian 4YO Trotting Entire/Gelding of the Year warmed up for his trip with a solo hit-out at Melton shortly before departing for the United States on August 1.

by Tim O’Connor, for Harness Racing Victoria