Mates rivalry heats up on track

They’re great mates but their rivalry has become one of the great attractions of harness racing at Menangle in recent months.

So, Cameron Hart and Jack Trainor will go head-to-head again tonight as the pair looks to dominate the eight races.

Premiership leader Hart will be aboard four favourites in the eight races as he looks to add to the 96 winners he has already landed in NSW this season – at least 20 more than his nearest rival Jack Callaghan.

Trainor is back in eighth place with 41 winners, but is equal second behind Hart in the metropolitan drivers’ premiership and is a close third to KerryAnn Morris in the state trainer’s premiership with 49 winners.

The former Kiwi horseman will have two favourites as a trainer tonight and will drive two short-priced elects himself, including his own last-start winner Spirit Of Anzac (Bettors Delight) .

And with Hart required for the Jason Grimson trained favourite Fire Fox (Sweet Lou)  in the opening race tonight, Trainor has picked up a rare drive for in-form trainer Jarrod Alchin and will drive Justa Little Bit (Cammibest).

Trainor will be hoping former Queenslander, American Ideal pacer The Ideal Dancer ($7.50) can make his presence felt in Race 2 at just his second start for Trainor since being transferred down from Steve Cini’s stables north of the border.

“He was good last start,” Trainor told National Trotguide’s Mike Ko’cass.

“They walked up front and dashed home, which isn’t really his go.

“He’s back to the mile tonight and I expect him to run an honest race.

“Drawing four we should be too far away from them and while I’m not overly confident he can win, the horse drawn in one, Focus Stride is probably the one we have to beat.

“You can’t beat race fitness, but Focus Stride looks pretty classy and if he gets a soft lead will be hard to toss.”

Trainor says his best drive of the night is probably Chicago Gangster (Tintin In America) in tonight’s feature race, the Group 3 Tatlow Stakes for two-year-olds.

“If you asked me two weeks ago about this horse I would have told he was just nice and genuine and would run through the grades,” he said.

“But after he finished second at Penrith last week his trainer David Thorn and I agreed he might be better than we thought.

“Now I’m looking forward to driving this horse through the season.”

For complete race fields, click here.

by Michael Court, for HRNSW