The juggernaut that is Jack Trainor is poised to continue at the huge Bathurst Gold Crown meeting tomorrow (Saturday) night.
The young former Kiwi horseman enjoyed not just a career but life-changing wave of success during the recent NSW Carnival of Miracles through the deeds of Stylish Memphis and Anntonia.
On the same night, he won his first two Group 1 races with Stylish Memphis in the Ladyship Mile and Anntonia in the NSW Oaks.
They say success breeds success and Trainor’s stocks have deservedly soared since.
Now he’s picked-up the drive on NSW’s and one of Australia’s best three-year-old’s, Tasty Delight, when he shoots to defend his Bathurst “crown” on Saturday.
Trainor also jumps back aboard Anntonia to chase another Group 1 win in the $100,000 Gold Bracelet final. She’s a heavily-backed $2.80 into $2.30 favourite from the pole.
But much will depend on how quickly Trainor can get out from the pole and where she settles in the run.
Tasty Delight, who first announced himself winning last year’s 2YO Bathurst Gold Crown final, will need lots of luck and a great Trainor drive to overcome the worst possible draw – outside the back row. As good as he looked in his heat win Wednesday night, he’s only $3.80 third favourite from the draw.
Star Victorian raider Idyllic ($2.50, gate six) and emerging local He Aint Fakin ($3, gate three) – who also both won their heats – make for a fantastic stoush in the Chalice final.
In the Bracelet, last year’s 2YO Gold Tiara winner Joanna looks Anntonia’s main danger, but she does have a wide draw (gate eight) to overcome.
The other major player is last season’s NSW Breeders Challenge 2YO winner Soho Almasi, who returned from a spell for trainer Mick Stanley and driver Luke McCarthy to easily win her heat.
Soho Almasi boasts stunning early speed and may be the leader from gate five.
The two headline races – he 2YO finals – both have odds-on favourites after the barrier draws.
In the Group 1 Gold Crown final, the exciting Mister Rea is $1.80 from the pole to stretch his unbeaten run to four wins.
Hardest for him to beat will be the Stewart/Tonkin trained Lightning Dan, who is unbeaten in two runs but has looked very green and erratic in the process.
“We’re expecting him to go a light straighter this week,” Clayton Tonkin said. “He’s learning from the experience and we’ve made a few gear changes. He’ll run a great race.”
Trainer Russell Jack qualified three fillies for the Group 1 Gold Tiara final, but his major chances is the heavily-backed likely leader Just Hope ($1.50, gate two).
Star local Silk Cloud, who has shown electric speed in two wins from just three starts, has been best-backed ($10 into $7.50, gate six) to upstage Just Hope.
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As strong as the Emma Stewart/Clayton Tonkin factor is at Bathurst, it is at least a powerful at Sunday’s ripper Horsham Cup meeting.
In the $60,000 Group 2 Cup itself, Stewart/Tonkin have the five of the 10 runners and four of the first five in betting.
Heading the way is exciting four-year-old Mach Dan, who is up in grade, but drawn well and primed by two easy wins back from a spell. Greg Sugars takes the reins and he’s $1.70 from gate two.
Miracle Mile contestant Out To Play steps out for the first time since contesting that race and he’s $3.70 gate 10 with Kate Gath aboard.
Like A Wildfire (Leigh Sutton to drive, $7.50) and Fourbigmen (James Herbertson, $16) are their other key runners.
In the Horsham Trotters’ Cup, Andy and Kate Gath’s latest exciting Kiwi import Globe Trekker has been smashed from $6 into $2.60 on the strength of his only Aussie run netting an easy win.
Globe Trekker has the front mark (one), while main danger Well Defined, who has already won four Victorian country trotting cups this season, is $2.90 from a 20m handicap.
