By Jonny Turner
A big last start effort showed Tom Martin is ready to produce a repeat of his last impressive outing at Ascot Park when he returns there on Thursday.
The southern bred 4yr-old powered to an effortless victory on his last trip south from Graham Court’s Canterbury stable early last month.
A wide draw and a tough trip parked outside the leader in his last start at Addington stopped Tom Martin from making it two in a row.
But his brave effort, just tiring in the last 150m of a quickly run affair, shows the pacer just needs a little bit of luck to bounce straight back to winning form.
“I was really pleased with his run at Addington, he was just a victim of circumstance,” Court said.
Sheree Tomlinson, who now works for the Court stable, drives Tom Martin again on Thursday in the hope that she can secure a penalty-free junior driver’s win for the 4yr-old.
“He has won four and he has only had fourteen starts, so if I don’t look after him he will be up in the grades too far.”
“So, hopefully he can get a win with the junior driver’s concession.”
“He should be hard to beat – he has trained on well since his last run, so I am expecting a good run.”
Tom Martin will not have things all his own way when he takes on a handy line up in race 9.
Trainer Alister Black starts Lawrence, following his good fourth behind Robyns Playboy, alongside impressive last-start winner Wecandream.
Talented mares Bridesdale Robyn and Born To Boogie add to depth to an intriguing race.
The Court trained Endless Dreams comes south for race 5 after running a creditable fifth behind Aladdin when debuting in a strong maiden field at Addington.
Her trainer has a decent opinion of the 3yr-old and expects her to improve on that showing on Thursday.
“She is a very nice filly,” Court said.
“She has had a good few trials, she trialled pretty good as a 2yr-old and then we had the lockdown.”
“She had got a bit of talent and I think she will be pretty hard to beat.”
Endless Dreams clashes with arguably one of the horses most unlucky not to have won a maiden race in Wattlebank Lass.
The Peter Hunter trained 4yr-old has produced excellent form in her recent starts when having to face off with smart maiden winners Dont Lie To Me, Sweet Lizzie and Avana.
Magic Sign will be in a similar position to the Southlander when he debuts for the Court stable in race 4.
The Terror To Love 3yr-old takes a smart qualifier in The High Ruler in what looks to be a smart maiden field.
Magic Sign should give the Southerner plenty to think about going by his own trial efforts.
“He trialled good at Rangiora the other day,” Court said.
“He is only a novice at this stages of things, but I expect him to go a good race.”
Magic Sign ran second behind Hattie, who went on to run second at Addington on Sunday, in his Rangiora trial.
Court is hoping the 3yr-old can help continue the good momentum his three time New Zealand Cup winning stallion Terror To Love.
“He is showing he can do the job, he is leaving some nice horses and they not out of great mares.”
Magic Sign’s main rival is clearly The High Ruler.
The Brett Gray trained 3yr-old unleashed scorching 55.5sec (800m) and 27.6 (400m) closing splits when qualifying at Winton last month.
The High Ruler, who is unbeaten in four public appearances, returned to the same track a fortnight later to win a workout in the latest outing ahead of his debut.
