By Adam Hamilton
Classy Victorian trotter Arcee Phoenix will return for another crack at the $650,000 TAB Trot at Cambridge’s Night of Champions on April 4.
Excited connections cemented a deal with Duncan McPherson to race in the Aldebaran Park slot, just as they did last year.
Arcee Phoenix was one of four Victorians who contested last year’s TAB Trot, finishing fourth behind Just Believe, Callmethebreeze and Queen Elida.
Queen Elida will also return, while Im Ready Jet looks likely to give Victoria a third runner this year.
Im Ready Jet is raced by Pat Driscoll, who used his slot on the sidelined Callmethebreeze last year.
Driscoll and trainer Andy Gath are awaiting Im Ready Jet’s second-up race at Melton on Saturday night when she clashes again with Queen Elida in the Group 1 Sumthingaboutmaori Mares’ Trotting Free-For-All (2760m).
“At this stage she’s booked and going, but we’ve got the luxury of seeing how she goes this week before absolutely locking things in,” Gath said.
Back to Arcee Phoenix and he showed signs of his best form when a good third to Keayang Chucky in blistering time in the Group 1 Hammerhead Mile at Menangle last Saturday week.
The Chris Svanosio trained gelding faces a small but select field in the City Of Melton Scotch Notch Memorial Trot (1720m) at Melton on Saturday night.
Arcee Phoenix is a $2.20 second favourite to turn the tables on Keayang Chucky (gate six, $1.85) from their Hammerhead clash.
“We’ve had a handshake agreement with the Arcee Phoenix team for a while now and locked it all away this week,” McPherson said.
“He ran such a great last year in a stronger race (TAB Trot) and we’re confident he’ll be right in the finish again.”
Australia looks set to have five of the eight runners in the TAB Trot at Cambridge on April 4.
Along with the three Victorians, NSW-trained Inter Dominion winner The Locomotive has a slot and the connections of emerging Queensland star Not As Promised are believed to be close to landing on a deal.
Earlier this week boom New Zealand trotter Bet N Win confirmed his place in the line-up.
He will run in the slot owned by the Breckon Racing Syndicate, brothers George and Andrew Breckon, Richard Cole and the Odds On Syndicate.
The winner of 11 from 19, Bet N Win was bred by Breckon Farms, with the Breckon Racing Syndicate part of the horse’s large ownership group.
He is a $2.70 favourite on the futures market on the TAB, following his narrow but very impressive win over Muscle Mountain in last Friday’s Group 1 Fred Shaw Memorial New Zealand Trotting Championships at Addington.
