By Adam Hamilton
TOP Aussie trainer David Aiken has given long range punters a huge “leg-up” by outlining his plans for stable stars Lennytheshark and Hectorjayjay.
The glamour pair – Australia’s two best pacers – are back in Victoria and enjoying some rejuvenation at Peter Clarke’s water-walker in in Murchison before returning to Aiken’s nearby Shepparton stables next week.
“It’s a brutal program and the good horses can’t run in all the good races, so you have to make a plan,” he said.
“It’s a rough plan at this stage because I haven’t worked through it with all the connections, but I think we will target the Victoria Cup (January 28) with Hectorjayjay and the Hunter Cup (February 4) with Lennytheshark.”
On the way to their respective targets, Hectorjayjay looks set to tackle the Shepparton Cup on January 14 with Lennytheshark to head to the Ballarat Cup on January 21.
Lennytheshark’s program puts him on the same course as his arch-rival Smolda.
While Hectorjayjay will lock horns with Lazarus and others in the Victoria Cup.
Aiken said his stars would then both head to NSW for the Miracle Mile.
In an extraordinarily open and honest assessment, Aiken conceded Lazarus was the best horse in Australasia right now, not one of his pair.
“I said to Mark after the NZ Cup that I thought Lazarus could be the best horse in the world right now. I think he could North America’s best,” Aiken said.
“What he did that day (NZ Cup) was simply amazing. He’s freakish that horse.
“He’s the one we all have to beat in the Victoria Cup and Miracle Mile.”
Asked which of his pair would have the best chance of testing Lazarus in the Miracle Mile, Aiken quickly said Hectorjayjay.
“He’s got incredible speed Hectorjayjay and he runs that speed to easily,” he said. “He’s better suited to a Miracle Mile than Lenny and with the right run I think he can make a race of it with Lazarus.
“I was really proud of him in defeat in Perth. If the leader hadn’t choked-down, I think he’d have won and 2900m certainly isn’t Hector’s most suitable distance.”
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