Trainer isolated but the show goes on

Silent Major certainly earned his spell after a Western Australian campaign was followed by a gruelling Mildura Cup tilt in the early part of the year, and he’s back at the track this weekend to kick-start a run at some more feature races later this season.

Horsham trainer Aaron Dunn remains in isolation following his recent trip to Queensland for the Constellations Carnival and will pass the reins to his staff member Sam Barker, who will take the drive in Saturday night’s Melton City Council Pace (first heat) at Tabcorp Park. See fields here.

The run will be the four-year-old’s first since his narrow second placing to Mach Dan in April’s Mildura Pacing Cup, which followed a heat win and five-start campaign in the west with astute trainer Gary Hall senior.

Dunn said it’s likely Silent Major will need the run on Saturday night, but revealed long-term plans that could include the Inter Dominion Championships in New South Wales and the Vicbred Super Series later this year.

Silent Major ran fourth to Pacifico Dream in last year’s Vicbred 3YO Colts and Geldings Final and has won nearly $100,000 in prizemoney from his 30 starts to date. He won three races while in WA and ran second in the Group 2 4&5YO Championship.

He will tackle a field of seven rivals on Saturday night, including one that also raced in the Mildura Pacing Cup. That horse is Scott Ewen-trained Assassinator, who continued competing until mid-May before going out for a break.

The Melton metropolitan meeting is headlined by the Alabar Vicbred Platinum Mares Sprint Championship Final and Alamora Tarneit Now Selling Lightfoot Laurels, which are the Group 3 events on the 10-race card.

THE WEEK AHEAD

WEDNESDAY

Bendigo (night)

Lachlan McIntosh takes the calls of seven events from Lord’s Raceway.

THURSDAY

Hamilton (day)

Rob Auber heads to Hamilton for the first of two Thursday meetings, with the opener going at 12.41pm.

Mildura (night)

Luke Humphreys is back behind the binoculars for 11 races, headlined by the $15,000 Euston Club Resort Pace where Julie Douglas-trained Khaki Nui shoots for five wins in a row.

FRIDAY

Ballarat (night)

Bray Raceway hosted a big feature meeting last Friday night and backs up again seven days later. Expanded Trots Vision coverage is planned for the evening’s action.

SATURDAY

Tabcorp Park Melton (night)

The metropolitan card is highlighted by the Alabar Vicbred Platinum Mares Sprint Championship Final and Alamora Tarneit Now Selling Lightfoot Laurels, both at Group 3 level. As usual, wall-to-wall Trots Vision coverage will include caller Dan Mielicki.

SUNDAY

Kilmore (twilight)

Kilmore takes on the late Sunday timeslot, with Luke Humphreys to call the action.

MONDAY

Maryborough (day)

Lachlan McIntosh will be in the caller’s box to kick off the week in Maryborough, where the Vale Robert (Bobby) Burke Pace will be run.