Menangle’s big guns ready for New Zealand

Three of Menangle’s best reinsmen are heading for New Zealand this week for their richest harness race, to be run at Cambridge in the North Island.

And it looks like Cameron Hart, Jack Callaghan and Jack Trainor can all leave town on a winning note as they should dominate Saturday night’s eight-race card at Tabcorp Park Menangle. Click here to view fields.

Trainor, who heads off to New Zealand tomorrow to drive Stylish Memphis in the big race, heads to Menangle to steer favoured runners Collina Kay Jay in Race 4 and B K Swy in Race 7.

Hart, who already has 66 winners this season, is aboard I Cast No Shadow (Race 3), Doff Your Cap (Race 5) and Aqua Sancta (Race 8) with all three listed as early favourites.

Hart heads across the ditch in the middle of the week to partner Majestic Cruiser in Thursday’s $NZ900,000 race.

Callaghan, who will drive Alta Orlando in New Zealand, will also steer two short-priced commodities, Fire Fox (Race 2) and Steno (Race 6).

The beautifully-bred Steno is perfectly-drawn in gate two for tonight’s feature, the Group 3 Golden Easter Egg for three-year-old fillies.

Pleased with the three-year-old’s form, trainer Cameron Ross is quietly confident Steno can add win.

“She’s a nice little filly which has been getting better and better since I got her,” Ross said.

“After having a break at Christmas, she’s come back in good form.”

TAB Fixed Odds have Steno listed as the $1.70 favourite, with Miss Ex considered the main danger at $3 after drawing the pole.

“We’ve been a bit unlucky with draws at Menangle so it is good to have a handy one tonight,” said Ross.

“We haven’t asked her to do much out of the gate before now, but this time she will certainly be asked to go forward.

“She won the Young Oaks two starts back and that was the first time she had led, so it will be interesting to see how she goes at Menangle with a good draw.”

While the Menangle meeting looked in jeopardy on Thursday, Club Menangle Chief Executive Bruce Christison said he was amazed at how quickly the flood levels had receded in 24 hours.

“We just need a brief dry period so our track crew can get on and make the necessary preparations to have the track ready to race,” said Christison.

“We’re confident the meeting can go ahead, providing it doesn’t rain like it did all day Thursday.”

By Michael Court for HRNSW