24 March 2023 | HRNSW MEDIA | MICHAEL COURT
HE knows he has the ‘horse power’ to do it.
And while leading Sydney trainer-driver Rickie Alchin admits he would have loved front-line draws, he is still out to make history this weekend by becoming the first horseman to win both the Bathurst Gold Crown and the Gold Tiara on the same night.
Pink Bonnet winner Lux Aerterna is unbeaten in three starts but the daughter of Captaintreacherous has drawn gate 10 (two off the second row) for tomorrow night’s $150,000 Gold Tiara.
And Sapling Stakes winner Soho Spectre is even worse off, having drawn gate 12 (the outside of the second row) in his bid to remain unbeaten and win the $150,000 Gold Crown.
“It won’t be easy, that’s for sure,” said Alchin.
“The biggest thing is actually qualifying them for races like this.
“Then you just have to have to make sure you have them right on the night.
“You have done a lot of your job by getting them into these rich finals in the first place.
“Obviously, I would have preferred front line draws with both of them but, as someone suggested to me, both are good enough to overcome those draws.
“I guess it all comes down to where they land, what the tempo is and where the other chances are in the run.”
Alchin described Soho Spectre as a “quality horse” that he expected would go on and contest Derbies next season.
“I’ve said to people that with babies like these you can get natural two-year-olds who come out guns blazing and win races on manners as well as being good-gaited,” he said.
“I do believe my two are genuine.
“As far as the Gold Crown is concerned I think having Timmy Rictor (David Moran for Emma Stewart) drawn inside the second-line might be a good thing for us.
This is not a two-horse race, that’s for sure, but it would have made it tougher for us if he was drawn off the front as I feel he is my biggest danger.”
Alchin won last year’s Gold Crown with Tardelli and made it a sensational night when he also took home the $100,000 Gold Bracelet final for three-year-old fillies with Soho Rhapsody.
“Hopefully we can do it all again this weekend.
“This has been a great carnival for a long time and hats off to the Bathurst club because they do everything they can to make it a success.”
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