By Adam Hamilton
QUEENSLAND trainer Ian Gurney is confident of “stopover success” in Friday night’s $50,000 Group 2 Smoken Up Sprint (1720m) at Melton.
Two of Gurney’s Inter Dominion-bound stars – Our Hi Jinx (gate one) and Avonnova (two) – are drawn ideally.
“It couldn’t have turned out better. They are both quick beginners and we have options,” Gurney said.
Avonnova looks the likely leader which would put Our Hi Jinx on his back and getting use of the sprint lane at the business end.
“There is talk Mach Beauty will cross my two at the start, but I can’t see that happening. I’ll be stunned if Mach Beauty can cross Avonnova now he’s drawn right next to him,” Gurney said.
“Avonnova has been coming from bad draws of late. He’ll love this draw and I think he’ll be hard to beat over the sprint trip.”
Gurney said both had settled in well since arriving in Victoria, enroute to the Perth Inter Dominion, earlier in the week.
“I’ve just finished working them. They are spot on,” he said.
“It’s great to have this run before we get on the plane to Perth on Sunday.”
Our Hi Jinx, to be driven by Luke McCarthy, has been backed from $3.20 into $3. Avonnova is an $8 chance.
Inter Dominion favourite Lennytheshark is a $4.80 chance because of a potentially horrible draw.
The David Aiken-trained star has drawn inside the back row (gate eight), which could see him buried three back on the inside if Our Hi Jinx takes a trail on Avonnova.
Mach Beauty has eased from $3.20 to $3.50 with his chances hinging on being able to burn off Avonnova and Our Hi Jinx in the early charge for the lead.
There is plenty of depth in the race with Easy On The Eye (gate four), Cold Major (six), Blazin N Cullen (seven) and Flaming Flutter (10) also heading to Perth.
Gurney’s Inter Dominion third-stringer, Mach Alert, looks ideally placed from gate three in the eighth race at Melton on Friday night.
On the same card, Andy Gath’s emerging trotter Glenferrie Typhoon steps into the big league for the first time, but had the back row (gate 10) in the Group 1 Bill Collins Mile.
In an open race, Maori Time (gate two), My Valerie (three) and Kyvalley Blur (six) look the other major players.
The notable absentee is champion trotter Keystone Del, who moves from Nicole Molander to Brent Lilley’s stable this week.
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