By Adam Hamilton
ON a weekend of greats wins, Lochinvar Art’s return was as good as any of them.
Self Assured pumped us all up with his breathtaking first-up win at Addington when he really had no right to on Friday night.
Just hours later, Perth’s pin-up boy Chicago Bull continued his remarkable comeback when he again crushed classy rival Handsandwheels and went close to breaking the track record in the middle of winter.
Then it was Lochinvar Art’s turn last night at Shepparton.
In a week where talk has been all about a possible match race with Victoria’s other buzz pacer, Ride High, Lochinvar Art made quite a statement.
Whatever you think of his opposition, he came from back in the field in a slowly run race, went to the “death” and pulled his way to the front before coasting home to win by nine metres.
On a seriously cold night, he ran home in 55.5 and 27.1sec – and could’ve gone much quicker.
“He needed that,” Moran said. “I only decided late to run him this week, instead of trialling him at Shepparton last Thursday because I didn’t there’d be enough in the trial to get a serious hitout.
“I’m glad I did. It was just the sort of run I wanted first-up. He did that really well. It’s great to have him back.
“He’ll be better for it when he races again in two weeks.”
Moran said immediate plans hinged on whether the match-race with Ride High – touted for August 15 or 22 – eventuated and if the Victoria Cup progressed when scheduled on October 10.
“It’s all up in the air a bit until we know what’s on when,” he said.
“But, give him another run in a couple of weeks, and he’ll be ready for whatever we throw at him.”
