McCarthy hoping to go one better

Team McCarthy will be hoping to go one better with top class harness racing pacer Spirit Of St Louis (Sweet Lou) in the Del-Re National A G Hunter Cup.

This time last year, the former Kiwi was on a rampage with wins in the Bendigo, Shepparton and Ballarat cups before a slashing second to his now retired champion stablemate King Of Swing in the Hunter Cup.

Spirit Of St Louis followed that with an equally big second in the Miracle Mile behind King Of Swing and looked the anointed one to take over the mantle as Australia’s top pacer.

It has been an indifferent and, at times, interrupted 12 months since, in which Spirit Of St Louis raced just 11 times for five wins, but ran well below his best during most of the Inter Dominion series in Victoria late last year.

Despite the depth of talent in Team McCarthy’s Cobbitty stables, Spirit Of St Louis could be its only Hunter Cup runner, although rejuvenated former Kiwi Mach Shard could book a ticket if he runs a pearler at Menangle on Saturday night.

It is almost their certain stable big gun, Expensive Ego (Rock N Roll Heaven), will stay at home to focus on the Miracle Mile.

“Louis is definite. He’s our one definite for the Hunter Cup,” Luke McCarthy said.

“Mach Shard was fantastic behind Louis at Menangle last time (January 14). He ran home in 53.4sec and he’s right back to his best. If he runs up to that again this week, we’ll probably take him down as well.”

So, why stay home with Expensive Ego?

“The Miracle Mile is the most suitable race for him for a few reasons,” McCarthy said.

“He’s a very American-style horse. He just loves to go flat out the whole way and he can do that at Menangle, especially over a mile.

“He’s got 1min48sec twice now. He can sit parked and still go great at Menangle, but it’s different on the smaller tracks. He has sat parked and won a Chariots in 1min48sec.

“We want to give him every chance to win a Miracle Mile. It makes sense to keep him here and not take any risk by going to Melbourne. Just focus on the sprints the week before the Miracle Mile.”

Let’s get back to Spirit Of St Louis.

“He’ll either pop down this week for the Casey Classic or, and this is more likely, run up here (Menangle) the week before to top him off,” McCarthy said.

“Both he and Ego had a bit of a break after the Inter Dominion and we’re thrilled with how they’ve come back.”

Bubbling away in the background and with the potential to become Team McCarthy’s best horse is former Victorian star Bondi Lockdown (Somebeachsomewhere).

Owner and former trainer-driver Aaron Dunn surprised many when he sent Bondi Lockdown to Team McCarthy after the pacer had a minor bleed late last year.

“It made sense to me. I think it’s best for the horse and Luke seems to really like him,” Dunn said.

That’s correct.

“Yeah, we haven’t turned the screws down on him yet, but he’s exciting alright,” McCarthy said.

“We all know how good he is at his top. That Chariots Of Fire run of his was seriously off the charts. You don’t see many who could do that.”

McCarthy took the reins when Bondi Lockdown won his first trial for the stable at Menangle last Wednesday.

“Aaron said he’d been a handful at times at home for him, but he’s been relaxed and a real gentleman up here and that showed in the trial,” he said.

“He relaxed well in the trial. I gave him one smack when I came off the leader’s back and he did the rest himself and very comfortably.

“It’s too early to be making any bold predictions, but we know the talent he’s got. It’ll be great to get a race into him.”

That race will be in the next two to three weeks.

“We tossed-up taking him to the Hunter Cup, but it’s best to focus on the Miracle Mile and bring him along at our own speed up here,” McCarthy said.

“After the first run, he’ll go to the Newcastle Mile and try to book his Miracle Mile spot that way.”

by Adam Hamilton, for Harness Racing Victoria