Aussie pacer still a go for The Race

One of the young men charged with flying the Australian flag in The Race at Cambridge on April 14 says he isn’t losing too much sleep over Alta Orlando’s defeat at Menangle on Saturday.

The shock inclusion in the new $900,000 slot race led but was run down into fourth in the Group 3 at Menangle against horses inferior to those he will meet at Cambridge but driver Jack Callaghan says it wasn’t all the veteran pacer’s fault.

“He is a horse who takes a lot of work and he had missed some leading into last week because it had been so wet over here,” says Callaghan.

“So I wouldn’t worry about that too much and he is still all go for the race.

“He will get more work and arrive over there and fitter.

“And I can’t wait to get across there.”

The defeat saw Alta Orlando drift out to $26 for The Race By Grins, with Self Assured drifting slightly through no fault of his own to $2.50 favouritism.

Many of The Race contenders hope to race this Friday with Pembrook Playboy at Addington while four have been nominated for the 1700m event at Alexandra Park, so their connections will be hoping that race gets off the ground.

The All Stars have nominated Self Assured, Mach Dan and Spankem for Friday but the only other entry was Hot And Treacherous.

Spankem has come in for support for The Race off the back of a workout win over Mach Dan at Pukekohe on Saturday.

by Michael Guerin