Lisa all smiles as Powderkeg returns

Powderkeg returns from a freshen up after his Need For Speed consolation win, stepping out in tonight’s North Central Review Trot well placed to add to his three-year-old season.

“It’s really nice,” Miles said of steering a trotter of Powderkeg’s talent. “It can seem like the difference between an old paddock bomb or driving a sports car down the street at times. It makes for happier days.”

While he’s made some mistakes when it’s least wanted, like in his Need For Speed heat, Redwood Classic and Breeders Crown final, the Vicbred Super Series two-year-old winner was showing continual signs of improvement, Miles said.

“I was happy with both trials, the last one was an improvement on the first, which is what I like to see," she said.

“I would like to think he has matured a bit. He was a bit boisterous and could do things wrong if there were disruptions to his normal patterns. He’s getting that little bit better all the time.”

While plans for New South Wales Derby and Vicbred Super Series campaigns are on hold amid the change to region-based racing, Miles said she would just “take each start at a time”.

“He was having a bit of a break after after his last victory, but he’s not the sort of horse you can leave out for a long time because he is a three-year-old colt and bit boisterous. He enjoys his work too.”

Which brings us to tonight.

“He’s not got a bad barrier draw all things going well. You have got to respect the rest of them, Kyvalley Clichy in particular has the form on the board, and (Powderkeg) is only a three-year-old.”

But he is her best chance tonight on “raw ability and expectation”, though whatever he does “he will improve on”.

Miles has a busy night ahead, beginning with the first, the Beraldo Coffee Pace, which streams on Trots Vision from 5.22pm.

Her entrant Villaci is first emergency and if he doesn’t get a start he will be guided towards Cranbourne next week, freeing Miles to drive Dylan Stratford-trained Sir Fortune.

It looks set to be the first of three Stratford runners she will pilot tonight, following on with first starter Aldebaran My and then Scootin Around in the Jet Roofing 3YO Pace.

“(Scootin Around) is a really big horse, was very immature but is getting better with every start. I’d like to think he will win one in his next couple of starts if not (tonight)."

She then has Nota Republica returning in the C & M Build Pace at 7.43pm, happy with the prized draw inside the back row behind impressive three-year-old Theultimate.

“It is the perfect draw first up,” Miles said. “He didn’t race his best last prep, but is working nicely and trialled well last week. He will need the run, but it’s the best draw for sure.”

And then it's on to Tam Oshanter in the Kilmore Trackside Trot.

“He trialled well behind Powderkeg and Emerald Stride. He needs the run, he is an opportunist but has come a long way. He loves people and the public and is a joy to take to the race track.”