Louis ready to bounce back in mega $152,500 clash

Champion harness racing horseman Luke McCarthy expects star pacer Spirit Of St Louis (Sweet Lou) to bounce back from a rare disappointment in Saturday night’s (Jul. 16) $152,500 Group 1 Sunshine Sprint at Albion Park.

Spirit Of St Louis inherited Australia’s top pacer tag when his megastar stablemate King Of Swing was retired after winning a third successive Miracle Mile earlier this year.

The tag sat well when Spirit Of St Louis won his first two Albion Park runs back from a spell, but he ran well below his best when a laboring fifth in the Mr Feelgood Open Pace at the same track last Saturday night.

“He just wasn’t the same horse tonight,” regular driver Jack Callaghan said straight after the race.

McCarthy, who co-trains the former Kiwi star with wife Belinda, agreed but didn’t have any particular reason.

“He was just off. Jack said he didn’t feel himself in the warm-up or the race,” he said.

“He was ultra-consistent before that in the big races and I think it’s harsh to judge him too much on one below-par run. Horses can do that.

“Everything says he’s come through it well. His work has been great this week.

“I’m sure you’ll see him back to his best this week and on his best he’d be the horse to beat for sure, especially from that good draw (gate two).”

Callaghan will drive Spirit Of St Louis, while McCarthy has opted to drive Mach Shard (Mach Three) ahead of classy veteran Alta Orlando from the stable’s other two starters.

“Spirit Of St Louis is clearly our best hope. It’ll be hard for Mach (Shard) and Alta (Orlando) from their back row draws. They’re opportunists at this level and will need everything to go right.”

In other driving news, Greg Sugars has opted to partner last week’s Rising Sun runner-up Better Eclipse (Betterthancheddar, gate four) ahead of stablemate Triple Eight (American Ideal, five) in the Sunshine Sprint.

“They both went super last week, we couldn’t be happier with them,” he said. “I was probably always going to drive Better Eclipse so we’ve snapped-up Adam Sanderson for Triple Eight.”

And trainer Jason Grimson confirmed stable driver Cam Hart would stick with Group 1 winner Majestic Cruiser (Art Major) over stablemate I Cast No Shadow (Shadow Play).

“Jack Trainor is up from Sydney so he’ll do the job on I Cast No Shadow for us,” Grimson said.

Another interesting booking is champion Victorian driver Chris Alford for NSW raider Zeuss Bromac (Bettors Delight).

Alford is making the trip north to drive outstanding filly Amore Vita (Art Major) in the South-East Oaks.

For complete race fields, click here.

by Adam Hamilton, for Newscorp