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Astute harness racing trainer Freddy Taiba will use Saturday night’s Group 3 Hyland Harness Colours Smoken Up Sprint as a gauge to see where Captain Ravishing (Captaintreacherous) lands against champion pacer Leap To Fame ahead of next week’s Sportsbet Victoria Cup.
“It lets us know where we are at, he (Leap To Fame) is a champion, he is a good gauge for any horse and is good for the sport,” Taiba said.
Captain Ravishing will head into Saturday night’s $50,000 event third up after strong wins at Geelong and Melton.
“He is real good and his work was fantastic today (October 1),” Taiba said. “He was nice and sharp primed for Saturday night.”
Reinsman David Miles will once again partner the five-year-old for the 1720m event.
“David (Miles) said ‘he improved immensely’ from his first-up run, but in saying that I think he will improve again this start and will be a lot fitter and be a lot more forward,” Taiba from Sunbury, said.
“He was second up from a 10-month break and to go how he did second up was pretty positive.”
The 42-year-old knows the winner of over $539,000 can mix it with the best ahead of the, Group 1 Sportsbet Victoria Cup.
“He (Captain Ravishing) is a quality customer, and he has already raced these horses,” he said. “We are right in it.”
Taiba has ruled out an Inter Dominion campaign with the star pacer but is set to chase another time-honoured feature.
“We won’t be going that far with him, the 2200m is as far as we want to go with him,” Taiba said.
“If all goes well, we will target the Miracle Mile with him in March.”
Captain Ravishing has drawn six for Saturday night’s feature with main danger, Leap To Fame drawing alongside in seven.
“ (the draw) is not the worst thing for him,” Taiba said. “Leap To Fame drawing outside him, it makes six better than what it originally was.”
The $50,000 Hyland Harness Colours Smoken Up Sprint is set to go at 6.35pm.
For complete race entries, click here.
by Lachlan Mitchell, for Harness Racing Victoria
