McGuigan hopes Phoenix will rise

Darby McGuigan has sights set on scoring a career-best triumph in the sulky when he teams up with one of four Emma Stewart-trained horses in Saturday night's TAB Smoken Up Sprint at Tabcorp Park Melton.

The young driver has scored wins in Group 3 features before, but would rate success in the weekend's Group 2 contest at the top of the pile.

He will partner Phoenix Prince, which has drawn barrier six in the field of 11.

McGuigan won his first three drives behind the son of Somebeachsomewhere before finishing sixth in the Always B Miki Breeders Crown Graduate Pacers Free For All and 10th in the Jet Roofing 2019 Kilmore Pacing Cup at his most recent outings. Those assignments were at Group 2 level and Phoenix Prince was beaten less than 10m on both occasions.

"It's going to be tough enough because we are drawn six," McGuigan said of Saturday night's race.

"There's a bit of speed inside us but he is a very good miler and if they go crazy I think there's every chance he will be hitting the line strong."

McGuigan said Phoenix Prince was one of the first Stewart-trained horses he drove and an early victory has helped foster a partnership with the state's leading stable.

"You can drive bad horses as good as you want, but if they're not the best horse in the race they are going to struggle to win," McGuigan said.

"They've always got their horses spot on and ready to win, so it is a big help towards the result."

Stewart also has Code Black (Greg Sugars), Born To Rocknroll (David Moran) and Shadow Sax (Chris Alford) accepted for the TAB Smoken Up Sprint.

In what looks an open feature, David Aiken's Wrappers Delight and Shadow Sax are the main threats according to McGuigan, while Kima Frenning's country cup star Buster Brady and Craig Cross' Cash N Flow must certainly be respected in the $50,000 event.

McGuigan has a book of six drives at Tabcorp Park Melton on Saturday night and rates Stewart's Maraetai as his best chance of the evening in the Swift Signs Pace.

Tim O'Connor

HRV Trots Media