Phoenix to rise up before a trip across the Tasman

A fab Victorian harness racing four will have their final hit-outs at Melton on Saturday night before taking on the best at home and abroad.

The Andy Gath-prepared Catch A Wave will make his way to WA for the million-dollar slot race, The Nullarbor, on April 19, while Better Eclipse, Just Believe and Arcee Phoenix are stepping out one last time before heading across the Tasman for New Zealand’s The TAB Trot and The Race by Grins on April 12.

Arcee Phoenix’s trainer-driver Chris Svanosio is happy with the five-year-old’s progression since finishing seventh behind Callmethebreeze in the Hammerhead Trotters Mile on Miracle Mile night.

“We are happy with him,” Svanosio said. “Things didn’t go to plan in Sydney, but he has seemed terrific since he got home from there.

“He should be pretty good Saturday night and that should top him up for his plane trip.”

Arcee Phoenix will get a good taste of what’s to come in New Zealand when he faces the Jess Tubbs-prepared Just Believe in Saturday night’s TAB Uncle Petrika Trotters Free For All.

“I’d like to beat Just Believe, that would be a good way to prepare,” he said. “I just want him to have a good hit-out (on Saturday), if he runs a good race and finishes off well that should top him off good for a trip to New Zealand.

“He flies out on Wednesday night, I think he is on the same plane as Just Believe, and they arrive on Thursday morning. He is staying with Graeme Rogerson and Dylan Ferguson at Hamilton, which is about 30 minutes from Cambridge.

“Dylan will look after him till I get over there and that will give him eight days or so before the race to settle in.”

The 42-year-old trainer-driver will look to tick a few boxes when he touches down in New Zealand.

“The main thing (I look for) is to make sure he travels safely, gets settled in and starts eating, it will be a bit experience for him,” he said.

“Just Believe and Callmethebreeze have had experience flying in from another hemisphere, where my bloke he spends most of his time in a paddock here at Romsey.”

Just Believe and Arcee Phoenix will duel at 8.02pm, with Better Eclipse and Catch A Wave to follow in the $24,000 Garrards Tiger Tara Free For All at 9.03pm, part of what presents as a great night’s racing at Melton.

For complete race entries, click here.

by Lachlan Mitchell, for Harness Racing Victoria