By Jonny Turner
Brian Norman doesn’t mind flying under the radar, but there is little chance of that happening when he takes four big winning chances to Ascot Park on Saturday.
Norman’s quartet certainly have not been missed by bookmakers, who have kept them safe in fixed odds markets released on Friday afternoon.
With his team thriving at the trainer’s newish property near Gore, which he moved into around this time last winter, the usually conservative Norman rates more than one of his team decent winning hopes.
“I think they’re the best four chances I have taken to the races, probably ever.”
Norman starts his day in race 1 with Port Pegasus who produced a big effort to run second to smart debut winner Simone Lindenny at Winton late last month.
The three-year-old will be out to match Friday night’s effort of his half-sister Splash Cola who won at Addington.
And Norman thinks he can.
“I think the trotter in race 1 would be very hard to beat.”
“I think he has worked it out.”
“It was always going to happen, it was just a case of when he was going to work it out.”
“He has been to the workouts since his last run and he was actually very good.”
“He concentrated good and he finished on good without being asked to go.”
Bookmakers opened Port Pegasus at a $6 fixed odds win price on Friday.
Norman starts Steve in race 4 in the hope she bounces back to her best she after galloped away at last weekend’s Diamonds Day meeting.
The trainer has made adjustments with the mare and he is hopeful she can do things right on Saturday.
“I am going to put an overcheck on her,” Norman said.
“I have changed her shoeing and put a set of bell boots on her, so I would say she would be good to go.”
“She has been going good, even when she ran fourth she probably should have run second.”
“But the clip broke on her hood and she ended up with it still on all the way up the straight.”
Steve was rated at a $7.50 fixed odds win price on market opening.
Blair Orange drives Steve, as well as Superfast for Norman in race 5.
The three-year-old wound up late in a nice effort for sixth on Diamonds Day.
Drawing barrier 8 looks the only factor against the filly on Saturday.
“She can’t work twice in a race, but she has got a lot of toe,” Norman said.
“She is not a bad filly and I think she will be a nice mare next year.”
“We are hoping to win a race and then wait for next year.”
Superfast was rated the $3.10 second-favourite when race 5’s fixed-odds were released.
Orange also drives Norman’s stable debutante in race 9 in Arlo Maguire.
The four-year-old’s work at home suggests his first start in his new trainer’s colours should be a good one.
“He is actually working bloody good,” Norman said.
“All we have been concentrating on is teaching him how to sprint.”
“He is a nice pacer and he is clean winded.”
“I would say he could give them a shake.”
Arlo Maguire opened the $3.90 fixed odds second favourite for race 9.
