Jet’s ready to prove herself a Great Southern Star

Cardigan harness racing trainer Anton Golino knows it takes a special horse to win the Group 1 $300,000 Woodlands Stud Great Southern Star.

He has just that in star mare Im Ready Jet (Quaker Jet) and Golino is hoping luck will be on her side when she tackles the unique feature at Melton on Friday night (Feb. 3).

What makes the Great Southern Star different is the format of heats and final being run on the same night, over a period of three hours.

Im Ready Jet has already shown she can handle it. The now six-year-old finished second in a heat and third in the final last year. Having that experience is a big tick.

Golino said not every horse could cope with backing up so quickly.

“Some thrive, but it can be a case of not knowing until you try,” he said. “It’s tough.”

Golino is happy everything finally looks to have fallen into place for Im Ready Jet after a period in which luck has not always gone her way.

“She’s had a terrible preparation with a series of things going wrong,” he said.

The first obstacle came when she lost a shoe in a trial and pulled up “a little” sore. She then had a bout of illness during which her temperature reached 40 degrees, resulting in her missing a “fair bit” of work.

Golino said she didn’t have ideal runs in her latest two outings, sitting outside the leader when fourth in the Maori Mile at Bendigo and third in the E B Cochran Cup at Ballarat.

Golino said all things considered Im Ready Jet had not bad a job and, importantly, had come on well in the two weeks since the Ballarat run.

“She’s better than she was then,” he said. “She’s really tucked up and her work’s been really good.”

Im Ready Jet lines up in the second of two heats, with the first three placegetters in each and then the next fastest four to make up the final field.

She has drawn barrier four, directly outside last year’s Great Southern Star winner Majestuoso, and last-start V L Dullard Cup winner and New Zealand champion Majestic Man.

Golino said with so much speed on her inside it would be “suicidal” to launch with them.

“Hopefully they’ll go hard early and she can slot in behind them.”

In a hot field, the heat also features Inter Dominion finalist Mufasa Metro, Maori Mile winner Aldebaran Zeus and evergreen Sundons Courage

Golino also has French-bred mare Hopeful Beauty in the first heat of the Great Southern Star, which includes Inter Dominion winner Just Believe and the emerging duo Queen Elida and OIlivici.

Golino said he could not have been happier with Hopeful Beauty this preparation, having won the Yarra Valley Cup in a track record time, and finishing second in the Cranbourne Cup and Maori Mile.

“She’s been super. She’s in a good spot. The wide second row draw makes it tough over this trip (1720m), but hopefully she’ll get the right luck,” Golino said.

The heats will be run at 7.03pm and 7.33pm on the all-trotting 10-race program, with the final scheduled for 10.05pm.

The Great Southern Star is the fourth leg of the Aurora Australis series, with the heats and final all offering points.

Aldebaran Zeus leads the series after three rounds on 13 points, followed by Just Believe 11, Majestic Man 8 and Sleepee 6.

For complete race entries, click here.

by David Brehaut, for Harness Racing Victoria