By Michael Guerin
Trainer Ross Paynter knows Gershwin should win at Alexandra Park tonight if he behaves himself.
But as far as letting punters know what to watch for any guide from the erratic four-year-old, the Cambridge horseman is in the dark.
“It is one of those things you just can’t predict,” says Paynter.
“There is nothing physically wrong with him and at home he is a lovely horse to anything with.
“But on race night he gets a little nervous and too keyed up and then he can gallop.
“He is getting better and while he is still not full proof right-handed I am sure he would win this week if he trots all the way.”
Gershwin suggested as much with a booming second on the track last start, when he pushed the boundaries of being disqualified with a long gallop early before rushing home last for second.
Neither his overall time or his closing sectionals were particularly special that night but he meets similar opposition tonight so anything like a repeat level of performance would see him win providing he trots throughout, with those manners being especially crucial over 2200m.
He is one of three reps tonight for Paynter, who has 18 horses in work since taking over many of the team he previously trained in partnership with Sean McCaffrey before the latter moved to Victoria several months ago.
“Training solo is going well and I am happy with the numbers and the results we have had.
“We have some nice horses to go with next season, especially Lemond and my filly Aoraki, who I sent to the Hopes to train last campaign but she is back with me now.”
Paynter also has Primus Inter Pares and Oto Invasion in a winnable race three tonight but warns punters both are getting over a recent setback.
“I had a bug hit some of the team and these two might still be getting over it. They are definitely getting better but I am not certain they are back to their best yet.” Paynter says veteran Oto Invasion was actually retired but has come back into work because of the new ratings system, which could enable him to return to a competitive assessment and still race for good prize money as trotting stakes at the lower end continue to increase.
With Paynter’s slight concerns over his race three pair, rival Lovely Bundy will only to be on her best behaviour to be one of the bets of the night as she drops in grade and her seventh last week was better than it reads after an early gallop and no luck late.
If backing trotters with reliability issues isn’t your idea of a good time then race four looks one of the better betting options tonight, with Kaitlyn, Pakipaki and Utmost Delight all smart three-year-old fillies taking on the older horses, with the early tempo likely to decide the result.
And tonight’s main pace sees late season bloomer Max Phactor ideally suited by the 1700m mobile considering two starts ago he paced 1:53.2 mile finishing fourth in the Jewels won by Heaven Rocks.
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