Former Kiwi harness racing pacer Spirit Of St Louis (Sweet Lou) may well breath a sigh of relief when he steps out at Albion Park on Saturday night.
Spirit Of St Louis wonāt have to deal with champion pacer and former stablemate King Of Swing.
The pair clashed in two of Australiaās biggest races last campaign and although Spirit Of St Louis ran huge races both times, he played second fiddle to King Of Swing in the Hunter Cup and Miracle Mile.
Now with King Of Swing retired, Spirit Of St Louis has inherited the tag as Australiaās best pacer.
The Team McCarthy-trained star returns from a spell at Albion Park on Saturday night.
After two strong trials, Spirit Of St Louis is a commanding $1.20 favourite from gate two in the Lucky Creed Open Pace (2680m).
āItās a good starting point. Heās come back well and will improve on whatever he does this week,ā co-trainer Luke McCarthy said.
āJack Callaghan will drive him and stick with him. He gets along so well with the horse.ā
The race also sees the return from a freshen-up of last-start Group 1 Messenger winner Majestic Cruiser (Art Major), but he faces a big ask from outside the back row (gate nine).
The pair are set to clash in a string of upcoming Albion Park races, including the Group 1 double of Sunshine Sprint (July 16) and Blacks A Fake (July 23).
Another highlight of the Albion Park will be the last of 10 races when top former Kiwi filly Amore Vita (Art Major) opens her Queensland assault for trainer Nathan Purdon.
The Breeders Crown heroine will need to be good from the outside draw in a six-horse field where talented rivals Tims A Trooper (Tintin In America)(gate four), Sugar Apple (Sweet Lou) (five) and We Always Have Faith (Captaintreacherous) (two) have better draws over the short 1660m trip.
For complete Albion Park entries, click here.
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A former Kiwi also headlines a strong Gloucester Park meeting on Friday night.
Magnificent Storm (American Ideal), who boasts 19 wins from just 26 starts, returns from a spell for trainer Ray Williams in the free-for-all.
āHeāll need the run, but heās as fit as I can get him and the trials here are hopeless in his class with only three or four in them,ā Williams said.
āYes he can win and weād love to, but itās a starting point and as long as he hits the line well we will be happy.ā
Williams conceded Magnificent Stormās rapid rise to prominence ātook its tollā towards the end of last campaign.
āHe went a long way, very quickly,ā he said. āHe wasnāt racing at his best in those last few runs.
āItās good to give him a decent break and he seems to have come back really well.
āThere are quite a few $50,000 races here over coming months and thatās what itās about now, just getting some racing into him.ā
Williams did say a Victorian raid for the Inter Dominion towards the end of the year was a big chance.
āIf heās going really well closer to the time, yes, weād love to go,ā he said.
For complete Gloucester Park entries, click here.
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Chariots Of Fire winner Better Eclipse (Betterthancheddar) returns from a spell at Melton on Saturday night.
Itās the first of two lead-up runs trainer Jess Tubbs has in mind before heading to Queensland for the $315,000 Group 1 Rising Sun at Albion Park on July 9.
āHeās been ready to go for a while, weāve just been keeping him ticking along because we want fresh for Queensland,ā driver and co-trainer Greg Sugars said.
Itās a tough return for Better Eclipse, who has a wide draw (gate six) in a strong open-aged free-for-all (race seven).
Interestingly, his main danger looks to be another Rising Sun hopeful Rock N Roll Doo (Rock N Roll Heaven) from the pole.
Other highlights of the Melton card include Majestuoso (Majestic Son) in the Group 3 Noopy Kiosk Trottersā free-for-all (1720m) and the clash between exciting juveniles Petracca (Captaintreacherous) and Aureus (Art Major) in a two-year-old event (race 10).
For complete Melton entries, click here.
byĀ Adam Hamilton, forĀ Harness Racing New Zealand