Aiken hoping to continue his rich history in NSW features

Victorian harness racing trainer David Aiken has a rich history when it comes to winning feature races in New South Wales.

The former Sydneysider is a three-time winner of the Harold Park training and driving premierships in the late 1980s and early 90s and trained some of the best pacers of that era, including Inter Dominion placegetters Tiffs Mystery and Ultra Jet among so many other star performers.

It is now three decades since Aiken moved to his property at Avenel in Victoria which is a two-hour drive south of the border, on the outskirts of Shepparton.

Aiken continued to taste success in Sydney, returning to win an Inter Dominion final and Miracle Mile with superstar pacer Lennytheshark and has met with further success training fellow Grand Circuit stars, namely square trotter My High Expectations as well as Hector Jay Jay.

More recently Max Delight (Bettors’ Delight) has kept Aiken actively involved in Group level racing since he took over the entire’s preparation in late 2018.

Aiken returns to New South Wales with Max Delight, who will line up for his 100th career start in the $60,000 Cherry City Cup at Young’s TAB Carnival Of Cups fixture on Friday night.

Aiken made the decision to bypass Brisbane’s Inter Dominion with the seven-year-old stallion, explaining that the lure of healthy prizemoney within New South Wales’ current Carnival Of Cups program was too attractive to miss.

Aiken believes his pacer has the class and toughness to give Friday night’s feature an almighty shake, despite drawing adversely in gate 11.

“He is going super this time in, without winning,” said Aiken.

“His run last start in a free-for-all at Melton was phenomenal.

“His individual last half was clocked in the low 53-second range and he was charging to the line strongly.

“Unfortunately, being so highly-assessed, he often draws badly and when the races are run to suit the horses up close or on the pace, well, we have to run ridiculous sectionals just to get into the race.

“I do think this race at Young will suit him though.

“It is over a longer distance, and he does race quite well over a journey.

For complete race entries, click here.

by Michael Dumesny, for HRNSW