Kiwi thriving on warmer weather

It is easy to see the Miracle Mile carnival is looming large in the minds of harness racing trainers all around Australia and New Zealand.

While Krug was surprisingly beaten at Menangle on Saturday night, the Cran Dalgety stable should bounce back into punters’ good books with another win at Menangle this afternoon.

Just Remember Me will contest Race 6, the Ladyship Pace, and has been installed the shortest-priced favourite of the day ($1.33) as she continues her wind-up to the NSW Oaks.

Caretaker trainer Carter Dalgety gets his chance to drive the filly when she contests a midweek race and he’ll declared she’s fit and ready to fire in this afternoon’s 2300m affair.

“She’s just thriving in the warmer weather over here,” said Carter.

“She just seems to be getting better and better since arriving here and we expect her to go well again today.”

Obviously, Krug’s Chariots Of Fire plan will now revert to ‘Plan B’ after the star Kiwi pacer galloped and finished tailed off on Saturday night as Titian Raider qualified for the Chariots with a marvellous win in a 1:50.5 mile race.

While Saturday night’s Hunter Cup-winning reinsman Luke McCarthy will not drive at Menangle today, the stable’s in-form reinsman Jack Callaghan, who finished second in the Cup with Spirit Of St Louis, will be straight back to the mid-week grind.

Callaghan has been in-demand from outside stables with his best drive looking to be I Am Marquez ($3.50 favourite) for Pete Russo in Race 5.

Although yet to be spotted at the trials since joining Russo’s team, I Am Marquez has a good record south of the border where he has won seven races and run 19 placings from his 68 starts, all of them for Victorian trainer Col Latter.

Russo has also booked him for another former Victorian, Beneath The Shadow in Race 8.

The gelding has won four from 28 and did win at Shepparton in November and has been kept safe at $4.50 in the TAB’s early markets.

And Callaghan has two other chances for Russo on a busy afternoon, including Ironwil ($34) in Race 3, having only his second race start but did trial nicely at Menangle, as well as Cant Refuse ($13) in Race 4.

Callaghan will also pilot the in-form Steno ($9) for Cameron Ross in Race 6, who looks a great each-way chance after drawing perfectly in gate three.

To view the fields for Menangle on Tuesday click here.

By Michael Court for HRNSW