Chariots Of Fire qualifier set to sizzle early

Punters dare not blink when the mobile releases the field in harness racing’s Paleface Adios Stakes at Menangle on Saturday night.

With the two main chances Krug ($1.65 fav) and Act Now ($3.60) drawn alongside each other in barriers one and two respectively, the outcome to the Chariots Of Fire qualifier may be decided within 200 metres of the start.

Jodi Quinlan, who will take the reins behind Act Now, left no doubt as to her intentions when the mobile sends the 10 runners on the way.

“The early burn out of the gate will be interesting,” Quinlan said.

“My horse naturally flies out of the gate so I’m going to try and lead and hope to cross Krug.”

Quinlan is hoping an early race gallop at his last start will sow the seeds of doubt for Krug’s connections.

“It may be in the back of their minds if he has to be pushed out at the start,” she said.

The Emma Stewart trained Act Now resumed from a short break with a fast finishing fifth behind Bondi Lockdown from an awkward second row alley in last week’s DNR Logistics 4YO Bonanza.

“He’s never good first up but he felt pretty right in the Bonanza and I was happy with his run,” she said. “He didn’t have a hard run and I like the way he got to the line.”

Quinlan noted the Victoria Derby winner’s maturity in recent months.

“He’s settling a lot better now and has become a lovely horse to drive,” she said.

Along with Act Now the other eye-catching performance was that of the Michael Stanley-trained Rock N Roll Doo, who settled last after galloping out from his front row draw.

Rock N Roll Doo came from last at the 400-metre mark to be beaten by less than seven metres in a 54.6 last half mile.

However, the son of Rock N Roll Heaven was subsequently placed out of the draw and has to contend with the widest gate on Saturday night.

Victorian-trained runners comprise half the field in the race, with Act Now’s stablemates Longfellow and Beyond Delight joining Jess Tubbs’ Bettor Eclipse and David Aiken’s Narutac Prince in flying the flag for the Big V.

To view the fields for Menangle on Saturday click here.

By John Dunne for HRV