Stewart stable to flex their muscle

The powerhouse Emma Stewart and Clayton Tonkin harness racing stable will flex their muscle across two major meetings on Saturday night.

In Victoria, the premiership dominating Ballarat stable has runners in the three key races at Kilmore, headed by the classy Like A Wildfire (Big Jim) in the Popular Alm Sprint over 1690m.

Their Group 1-winning filly Joyful (Always B Miki) has stayed home instead of chasing the Queensland Oaks and looks to have Kilmore’s Leli and Mary Mifsud 3YO (2180m) at her mercy. Kate Gath, fresh from four Bendigo wins last Saturday night, will drive Joyful for the first time.

Stable junior driver Zac Chappenden will take the reins on Like A Wildfire and favourite Khafaji in the Vin Knight Memorial (2180m).

Joyful, who is unbeaten in six starts since joining Stewart and Tonkin’s stable, has stayed in Victoria with a view to defending her Vicbred crown at Melton in September.

But it’s Albion Park where Stewart and Tonkin will chase the big cash.

Issues organizing flights curtailed plans for a huge raid on the Queensland Constellations, but they will unleash five of their stable stars across two feature races on Saturday night.

Proven open-class star and dual Newcastle Mile winner Mach Dan (Mach Three) will take on Queensland’s buzz pacer, Leap To Fame, and others in the feature, the $200,000 Group 1 Sunshine Sprint. He will also back-up in the $400,000 Group 1 Blacks A Fake the week after.

Mach Dan is a $5.50 shot from an inside back row draw (gate eight) where his chances could hinge on Betterzippit leading from the pole and being able to stalk him and use the sprint lane at the finish.

Stewart and Tonkin will have two key runners in the $150,000 Group 1 Golden Girl for mares with Amore Vita (Art Major) and Soho Historia (Courage Under Fire).

Amore Vita is the most favoured at $5 despite gate 10, while Soho Historia is $10 from barrier three.

Former Kiwi mares Manhattan (gate one, $3.40) and Braeview Kelly (eight, $2.70) hold the key to the race as the short 1660m trip should see them lead and sit  behind the leader.

Stewart and Tonkin also have the lightly raced but exciting Balboa Rock (gate eight, $2.05), who looks locked in a match-race with pole marker Synchronizer ($2) in the $156,000 Brisbane APG 2YO final (1660m) with any luck from an inside back row draw (gate eight).

Plenty of interest will also focus on their brilliant three-year-old The Lost Storm, who is on the quick back-up after returning from a lengthy spell to win easily at Bendigo last Saturday night.

The Lost Storm, who is a major contender for the inaugural $2.1mil TAB Eureka on September 2, is a $1.20 from outside the back row (gate 10) in race 10 as he prepares for the Group 1 Queensland Derby on Saturday week.

Stewart and Tonkin also have exciting three-year-old filly Tempting Tigress ready to fly north for Saturday week’s Group 1 Queensland Oaks.

It was 12 months ago when Stewart and Tonkin’s sidelined champion mare Ladies In Red made the Queensland Constellations her own with the biggest win of her stellar career in the Rising Sun.

For complete race entries, click here.

by Adam Hamilton, for Harness Racing Australia