Tough task but Alchin trotter to bounce back

Young Sydney raider Rickie Alchin faces one of the toughest tests of his harness racing career on the big stage tonight but is confident his star trotter Tough Monarch can bounce back in Auckland.

Eight-year-old Tough Monarch (Monarch USA-Tough Tussle NZ (Wrestle NZ) has drawn the pole position in the fifth qualifying heat of the NZ Inter Dominion Trotting Championship at Alexandra Park.

"There's some pretty good form everywhere you look, but that's what you would expect competing in a race at the highest level," Alchin, 32, said.

Alchin said Tough Monarch had recovered nicely from his last start fifth at the same track just three days ago.

"He's actually come through extremely well from that outing-I'm really happy with him and looking ahead with a fair bit of excitement," Alchin said.

Tough Monarch started off his Kiwi campaign in the best possible way last month with a win at Addington in the $100,000 Group One Trotting FFA when handled by NZ ex-pat Anthony Butt. They were also game as ever when second in the $300,000 Canterbury Dominion.

But the classy Aussie gelding then performed way below his best in the first round of the Inter Dominion heats on November 29, leading up before dropping out and being beaten 30 metres by Winterfell.

"That was a mystery, but we've now moved on. We were okay at our next run which was a fifth earlier this week and we didn't enjoy much luck," Alchin said.

"He got a little inconvenienced by a galloping runner and was doing his best work over the concluding stages. I thought he stuck to his guns in trying to make ground from up the back."

Alchin said tonight's longer trip of 2700 metres wouldn't faze his stable star at all.

"He won a Group Three at Melton a few months ago and that was over much the same journey," he said.

"We've come up with a lovely barrier draw with the one alley, so hopefully things work out for us and we make it through to the big final. I feel he's going as good as ever."

In early markets, Tough Monarch is on the fourth line of betting at $8.80. The Barry Purdon trained Marcoola (twice runner-up in both of his heats) is around $2.50; with other Kiwis in Temporale (excellent win last start) at $3.10 and Habibi Inta (solid second on Tuesday) having support at $6.

Tough Monarch (left) and his Australian buddy Big Jack Hammer stepping out for a workout at the Clevedon property of John and Joshua Dickie

Tough Monarch has now had 59 starts for 21 wins and nine placings for $309,000.

He is owned by a syndicate comprising Alex and Ryan Kay, Peter Gadsby, Charlie Montebello, Vincent McDonald and the estate of the late Michael Van Rens. The group has owned a number of great horses over the years, headed by superstar Smoken Up (74 wins, 54 placings $3.6M) and The Falcon Strike (41 wins, 17 placings $1.2M).

They also raced Tough Tussle, dam of Tough Monarch, who won more than $100,000 and competed successfully from 2005 to 2008 at Harold Park, Globe Derby and Moonee Valley.

The Alchin team is now stabled at the barn of John and Joshua Dickie at Clevedon, on the Wairoa River, 35 minutes from Auckland.

Tough Monarch's heat is timed for 8.53pm (Auckland, NZ time) which is 6.53pm (Australian Eastern Daylight time).

Terry Gange

NewsAlert PR Mildura