Pitt confident Mach Dan will run a huge race

Mark Pitt believes Saturday night’s Group 1 Sunshine Sprint at Albion Park will complete Mach Dan’s (Mach Three) race fitness preparation leading into next week’s harness racing Group 1 Blacks A Fake.

Second-up after a four-month spell, Mach Dan has to contend with an inside second row draw however Pitt is philosophical about a potential passage on the pegs.

“We’ll follow out Betterzippit and end up either behind the leader or at worst three back along the pegs which isn’t all that bad,” Pitt said.

“They should run along over the sprint trip, there is usually a gap that opens up and I think Mach Dan will run a huge race.”

Pitt partnered Mach Dan to a first-up all the way win at Melton a fortnight ago.

“I was very happy with him as he was coming off a couple of good trials. He was able to win without being overtaxed and he will benefit from that run,” he said.

Pitt believes Mach Dan is capable of providing stern opposition to the $1.80 favorite Leap To Fame and the highly-touted WA pacer Magnificent Storm.

“Mach Dan has proved he is a serious Grand Circuit horse winning the Newcastle Mile and a heat of the Inter Dominion, and he had no luck drawing a bad barrier in the final,” he said.

“Whatever he does on Saturday night he should be at his peak for the Blacks A Fake the following week.”

Mach Dan ($5.50) is on the third line of betting and is the lone Victorian representative in the race.

Pitt will also partner the highly-talented The Lost Storm, who will make his debut at Albion Park in an open three-year-old race where he has drawn the outside of the second row.

Despite the barrier, bookmakers have installed The Lost Storm as a $1.22 favourite.

Pitt isn’t concerned about being allocated the “visitors draw”.

“The draw won’t worry him,“ he said.

“He was really good first-up at Bendigo after a long spell and he felt amazing. He was as strong at the end of the race as he was at the start.”

The Lost Storm is likely to start a short-priced favourite in the next week’s Group 1 Queensland Derby.

“This week should top him off for the Derby next week,” Pitt said.

For complete race entries, click here.

by Tim O’Connor, for Harness Racing Victoria