Such is the heat in tomorrow night’s Group 2 sprint at Tabcorp Park Melton trots pundits can’t help but ponder: will Smoken Up’s Tabcorp Park track record fall?
Nine Inter Dominion-bound runners will contest the Olympus Feeds Smoken Up Sprint, a tribute to Lance Justice’s brilliant gelding, which amassed $3.6 million in prizemoney across 74 wins.
Among them was the 1720m Sky Racing Free For All on February 4, 2012, when Smoken Up ran down Decorated Jasper to “smash into another galaxy the track record”, stopping the clock at 1:51.1.
A challenge to that record is just one of many stories that could unfold tomorrow night, the race a key lead-in to the Inter Dominion, which also marks the return of another record breaker, Keayang Cullen.
David Aiken, trainer of Inter Dominion favourite Lennytheshark, which will start from the pegs on the second row, said for all manner of reasons Friday night’s race was “very important”.
“We programmed to have (Lennytheshark) running every fortnight and this is his third run in and last before the (Inter Dominion) heats,” Aiken said.
“It’s his final hit-out. We are really happy with where he is at.”
Neither of his two runners drew favourably for the sprint, with Cold Major to “probably go back” and Aiken expecting Lennytheshark “being three the fence”.
“It will be a very interesting race,” he said.
“Melton must be rapt to have a very, very good race. They have got the benefit of all these horses in form and going to the Inter Dominion.
“It’s the last race to top them all off. They are all up and going. There are no excuses.”
Among those sharing the front row with early favourite Our Hi Jinx will be Avonnova, Mach Beauty and Keayang Cullen, and Aiken said he expected the winner would have to run a 1:52 mile.
“There’s great speed here. Keayang Cullen is very quick.
“It will be very slick and there will be not a lot of time to back off.”
And as for Lennytheshark?
“(Driver) Chris (Alford) will work it out, that’s what we put him out there for,” Aiken said. “We’ll get a lot out of this race and I wouldn’t swap Lenny for anyone.”
When the sand settles after the sprint, for most in the field the focus will switch to Perth’s Gloucester Park, home to the Inter Dominion.
Aiken said Lennytheshark’s present favouritism “means he’s going to be a chance”.
“I’ve had a couple of (Inter Dominion) finalists, but haven’t won one and usually go there with outsiders,” he said.
“So going in with one of the better horses is exciting. It’s taken a lot time to get the right horse.
“It’s a good concept to get back to the traditional format and I’m really looking forward to it.”
Stablemate Cold Major is also “going really good”.
“While Lenny can make his own luck, which will help at Gloucester Park, Cold Major will need things to go his way, but if he draws he can be very good on his day,” Aiken said.
“He is a long shot, but I’m hopeful of him making the final.”
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