Rixon tunes up for Carnival of Cups with Goulburn treble

Leading Sydney harness racing reinsman Will Rixon made the most of his opportunities at Goulburn on Tuesday afternoon landing a winning treble.

The southern highlands venue has proven to be a happy hunting ground for the 25-year-old, with his winners this time around coming from local trainer Sam Hewitt with a double aboard Where Back (Vincent) and Refusal (Captain Crunch) while the Jason Grimson-trained Oursufinsafari (Somebeachsomewhere) kicked off Rixon’s successful day.

This has started what will be a busy week for Rixon.

With a handful of drives at Newcastle on Wednesday, Rixon will head to Penrith on Thursday for more driving commitments and then it is off to Bathurst on Friday night for the Carnival of Cups, Menangle on Saturday and back to Goulburn on Sunday.

His biggest assignment no doubt is at Bathurst when he will partner Max Delight in the $60,000 ‘The Gold Rush Cup’ – the feature race on the TAB Carnival Of Cups program.

Rixon has struck up a great rapport with the veteran millionaire pacer and despite being absent from the winners’ circle since August last year, the stallion has run some almighty races in defeat.

Max Delight’s task has been made a touch harder in Friday night’s feature after drawing gate six, outside likely favourite Captains Knock who is chasing his third Cup win in the series after scoring at Wagga and Newcastle.

The Brad Hewitt-trained pacer will be hoping to go one step nearer to capturing the $1 million bonus on offer.

“There is no doubting that Captains Knock is going to be very hard to beat,” said Rixon.

“He has been the benchmark horse in the series and has the jump on us after drawing to our inside.

“But old Max has not been disgraced either, his runs in the Wagga and Newcastle Cups were great and given the smaller six-horse field there is a lot less traffic to navigate.”