The Inter Dominion Grand Final in Perth this Sunday features three Victorians with the less favoured of the trio being the Geoff Webster-trained Flaming Flutter.
Runner-up in the Inter Dominion of earlier this year behind Beautide, Flaming Flutter is currently rated a $21 chance with TAB.com.au fixed odds as he aims to go one better.
Driver Greg Sugars says of Flaming Flutter, “He is going every bit as good but not going any better.”
“When he started off his prep I thought he was going to be better this year than last year but the last month or so he has just been slightly below his very best,” he added.
“We might be at the absolute peak of our powers but we aren’t far from it.”
His series so far has been a little up and down and Sugars said that his run at Bunbury was clearly the pick of his heat efforts.
“I was very happy with his second heat at Bunbury; he really felt sharp and was just about back to his best.”
His two runs at Gloucester Park, Sugars admitted, have been “a shade disappointing but he may have had excuses for both runs”.
“He had every chance to at least run second to Lennytheshark in the first round but he may have been a bit underdone there from the trip over and change of environment,” he said.
“His last heat he just didn’t hit the line quite as well as what we thought he should have and he was probably a length of his best.”
Asked how he had coped with the three runs in the week, Sugars said Flaming Flutter may have been a little flat in his last heat.
“He seems well in himself and seems bright, he took no ill effects from the first run to the second but I think he was a little below himself from the second to the third round,” he said.
“Having a few extra days off now he should be able to recover well and if he has no hiccups this week then Geoff will have him right on Sunday.”
Drawn inside the back row and with the polemarker Lovers Delight’s connections indicating they will try and lead at all costs, Flaming Flutter will play the stalking role on the pegs.
“We had to find the fence I think to have any realistic chance so to come up with that draw behind a horse who is going to try and lead throughout I couldn’t be happier,” Sugars said.
“The draw is perfect for us, it will all depend on how the race unfolds and how much work the other main dangers do but from our point of view I couldn’t be happier with draw.”
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