“He’ll be holding them!”

Tango Tara has drawn inside Torrid Saint, Rock N Roll Doo, brilliant Kiwi Copy That, Willie Go West and reigning Victoria Cup champion Max Delight, who would all likely love to be in front come the first corner.

But its Andy Gath’s fast starter who’s lobbed the inside draw and, if possible, he said he hoped to keep it in the sprint.

“We generally drive our horses that we take the luck out of the equation,” Gath told Giddy Up, Gareth Hall’s new show on SEN Track. “If he’s quick enough to hold them, he’ll be holding them, it’s just a question of whether he’s quick enough or not.”

Analysts got a teaser of the battle last Saturday night in the TAB Minuteman Free For All, when Torrid Saint found the front from gate six, with Tango Tara (gate three) initially holding before Kate Gath was crossed by Jack Laugher at the first turn.

Harness Racing Victoria’s sectionals show there was little in it initially, with Torrid Saint only slightly quicker over the first 50 metres (3.14 sec to 3.18 sec), 100 metres (6.18 sec to 6.31 sec) and 200 metres (12.44 sec to 12.63 sec).

It was enough to make Gath optimistic Tango Tara was a chance to hold from his first gate one draw since January’s Shepparton Cup, when he ran fifth.

“He’s finally come up with a good draw, gives him a good opportunity anyway, but in saying that it’s a great field,” Gath said. “He’s going to have to be at his absolute best to be able to win that race.

“It’s a huge advantage. If he was probably drawn off the fence he’d probably personally have no winning hope, he could probably run a place.”

But he’s also well aware that Torrid Saint is just the most immediate pressure point.

“It’s quite a fast front line. Torrid Saint can get out quick and Max Delight is really quick and I think Willie Go West can get out pretty quick as well,” he said.

“Last week was probably the first time Kate has ever asked him to get out of the gate. And he did get out pretty good.

“Thought he held Torrid Saint, so with him being drawn alongside us we might be able to hold him this time and having the experience of last week, coming out the gate he should be better this week.

“Totally up to Kate, obviously everything’s tempo related. Ideally we’d like to lead if we can but if we are not quick enough so be it, we’ll just have to take our chances up the sprint lane.”

LISTEN TO THE FULL INTERVIEW BELOW COURTESY OF SEN TRACK: