By Adam Hamilton
KIWI star My Field Marshal headlines another big weekend of Victoria Cup and Perth Inter Dominion lead-up racing in Australia.
Tim Butt’s stable star looks a class above his rivals in the Group 3 Garrards Horse and Hound Pace (1609m) at Menangle on Saturday night.
My Field Marshal is drawn the extreme outside, but the added race fitness of a narrow first-up defeat and the early scratching of Little Rascal – the horse who tipped him out first-up – makes him a stand-out.
If he is to be a serious player in the Victoria Cup and Inter Dominion, My Field Marshal really needs to beat a handy field lacking any genuine A-grade stars at Menangle.
His most interesting rival is former star Kiwi juvenile Messini, who is not only down to run against My Field Marshal at Menangle, but also to tackle the $20,000 VHRSC Classic (2240m) at Melton 24 hours earlier.
Messini certainly looks better suited at Menangle where he will challenge for favouritism in an even field from gate five. His major rivals look to be Flaming Flutter (gate six) and Maximan (seven).
Still in Victoria and the state’s buzz pacer, San Carlo, is shooting for his 18th win from just 21 starts in the Alabar Pace (2150m) at Bendigo on Saturday night.
San Carlo lost no fans when he dipped in open-class feature racing for the first time when a close third to the flying mare Ameretto in the Group 2 Breeders Crown Graduate free-for-all at Melton at his most recent run on August 25.
Trainer Steve O’Donoghue is keen to tackle both the Victoria Cup and Inter Dominion with San Carlo, who has been plagued by injuries through his career.
The key Inter Dominion flavour race at Gloucester Park on Friday night is the Spring Pace (race seven) where the Gary Hall Sr four of the 11 runners: Ideal Alice (gate one), American Boy (four), Novic Nightowl (seven) and Beaudiene Boaz (11).
And even the Friday night Hobart meeting in Tasmania has some Inter Dominion interest.
Father and son combo Barrie and Todd Rattray are considering Perth raids with stable stars Devendra, Pachacuti and Roger Ramjet.
The trio all line-up in the free-for-all (race three) at Hobart.
The Aussie TAB’s latest Inter Dominion market has Lazarus favourite at $4.50 from Chicago Bull ($5.50), Lennytheshark ($8) then My Field Marshal and Tiger Tara at $12.
Approved By Dean Baring www.harnessbred.com
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