Trainor has weight in numbers

They’re the best of mates . . . but Jack Trainor and Jason Grimson will forget that bond when they take to the harness racing track at Menangle tonight.

Trainor is among the first drivers Grimson turns to when he enters one of his stable stars in a race.

And that will be the case tonight when Trainor has his first race drive on speedy former New Zealand gelding Fire Fox (Sweet Lou), who resumes in Race 5, a race named after Club Menangle celebrating 70 years of racing at the south-western Sydney Paceway.

Fire Fox has not raced since early June when sixth to South Coast Arden in the J D Watts Memorial.

He did trial at Menangle 10 days ago when a handy second to Loyalist in good time and should be prominent tonight.

Yet before that race, Trainor will be hoping for a points decision over Grimson when the pair present four of the 10 runners in Race 4, the Ladyship Pace.

Grimson has booked his ‘other’ regular reinsman Cameron Hart to drive former New Zealand mare Double Down, a last-start winner at Addington four weeks ago.

Not seen at the trials, Double Down gets the chance to hold off all three of Trainor’s runners tonight after drawing perfectly in gate one.

Trainor will start Stellar Arden (James Locke), Ardens Delight (Jack Brown) and Theresa Love, which he will partner in the 1609m dash.

“This might be the only way we can beat ‘Grimo’ at the moment, sheer weight of numbers,” Trainor told National Trotguide on-line’s Mike Ko’cass.

“It will be interesting to see how Double Down matches up as I can’t fault any of my three runners.

“They‘ve all worked well this week and should take that to the track.

“I believe Ardens Delight has the pace to get across them early, while Stellar Arden seems to do her best work sitting in, and then using her speed.

“Theresa Love has also found a good patch of form.

“If I had to nail it down to one I’d probably say Ardens Delight as I’m hoping she’ll be up on the bunny.

“Jack’s won his last two on Ardens Delight; he’s about the size of a jockey and she goes well for him.

“I did make a joke this morning that I was going to drive her and cut her loose and he simply told me that wasn’t on.

“That left me to drive Theresa Love.”

For complete race entries, click here.

by Michael Court, for HRNSW