News that the Belinda and Luke McCarthy stable will have a “quiet month” following Saturday night’s Miracle Mile win with King Of Swing will be welcome news for a few other Menangle stables.
Rickie Alchin, for instance, will be looking for a winning double at Tabcorp Park Menangle today, even though his stable star Tough Monarch is having a let-up and will race in Queensland over the winter months.
Alchin’s handy square-gaiter Watts Up Majestic resumes from a three-month let-up and looks the one to beat in Race 2 today, a heat of the HRNSW Foundation series for four-year-old trotters.
Watts Up Majestic has a marvellous record at Menangle and perfectly-drawn in gate two, Alchin will take the drive himself and should justify being installed as one of the shortest-priced favourites of the day.
Alchin will watch from the stands in Race 4 when two of his lightly-raced youngsters Rock Around and Lady Allegra take on a few tried-and-tested performers.
Will Rixon takes the steer on the $2.25 favourite Rock Around, who scored his first race win when successful at Newcastle last week in a 1:58.7 mile rate.
And Alchin has handed the drive on Lady Allegra to promising young claiming driver Ashleigh Delosa.
Although she’s yet to register a win in her seven starts, Lady Allegra has a good turn of foot despite ruining her chances by galloping in two of her recent starts and Alchin will be hoping she shows what she can do at Menangle today.
At the other end of the experience scale, veteran pacer Don Kee will be lining up for his 227th start in the same race.
He’s been a grand money-spinner with 19 wins and 45 placings and a return of almost $133,000 in stakes.
Yet his trainer Julie Henman would love the old fellow to go out a winner and makes no secret of the fact she might retire Don Kee if the gelding can score a win at Menangle today.
One pacer that will definitely race on after today is maiden gelding Itz All About Me, a $51 shot who’ll be hoping for a change of luck as he chases his first win at his 49th start.
The six-year-old is owned by Club Menangle’s marketing co-ordinator Jess Watkins and is trained by her father Mick and winning a race has become a labor of love for the pair.
David Morris has the challenge of getting him home first at Menangle today.
To view the fields for Menangle on Tuesday click here.