By Adam Hamilton
Defending Perth Inter Dominion champion Lennytheshark is the big winner from a deft race programming by Harness Racing Victoria.
Trainer David Aiken had earmarked the Group 2 Smoken Up Sprint at Melton on November 12, but the timing of the flight from Melbourne to Perth upset those plans.
The flight, carrying a big batch of Inter Dominion hopefuls, is scheduled to leave Melbourne for Perth early on Sunday, November 13.
With trainers not willing to race the night before a long flight to Perth, HRV put its thinking caps on.
The result – HRV have brought forward the $20,000 Markovina free-for-all from the Melton meeting on November 12 and added it to the Bendigo card the night before.
“This is a great result, not just for Lenny, but for quite a few other horses who were headed to the Smoken Up for their final lead-up run,” Lennytheshark’s part-owner Martin Riseley said.
“It’s really good thinking by HRV. They will get a ripper race and it create a highlight at Bendigo.
“From our point of view, it’s a relief because Lenny would have been heading into the Inter Dominion with more than a month between runs otherwise.”
Lennytheshark, impressive winning both runs this campaign at Menangle, is heading to the Shepparton trials tomorrow (Thursday).
“David (Aiken) says he’s come back from Sydney really well. Providing he comes through the trial as well as we expect, it’s on to the Bendigo race and then Perth.”
Stablemate Hectorjayjay is a $1.80 favourite on the Aussie TAB for tomorrow’s (Thursday) Yarra Valley Cup where he starts as the lone back row runner from gate eight.
The race also features Emma Stewart’s three Perth contenders: Restrepo (gate three, $3.60), Guaranteed (five, $7) and Yankee Rockstar (six, $7).
Restrepo, who hasn’t raced for 21 months, led throughout in a flying 1min52.5sec mile rate to easily win a 1720m Melton trial last week.
Chris Alford takes the reins on Restrepo with Gavin Lang on Guaranteed and Nathan Jack aboard Yankee Rockstar.
Approved By Dean Baring www.harnessbred.com
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