Natalie Rasmussen says Lets Chase The Dream’s Perth raid is twofold.
Firstly it’s a chance for the high-class three-year-old to avoid yet another clash with his champion stablemates Lazarus and Our Waikiki Beach.
Secondly, and a lot more exciting for Perth officials and race fans, is the fact Rasmussen sees this as a “fact-finding” mission for Perth Inter Dominion time later this year.
Rasmussen said it was possible the sport’s hottest pacing property, Have Faith In Me, could tackle this year’s Inter Dominion.
“We have Have Faith In Me, Smolda and Lazarus who will race in open-class next season and are keen to separate them where possible,” she said.
“It makes sense for at least one of them to go to Perth, but which one is something we won’t decide until much closer to the Inter Dominion.
“Taking Chase The Dream across now gives us the chance to see how it all works over there with a view to going back again later in the year.”
But Rasmussen was quick to add Lets Chase The Dream is a serious horse in his own right.
“He’s very good. Put it this way, Lazarus has only been beaten twice and Chase The Dream won both those races,” she said.
“It’s just that he’s not able to beat Lazarus now, so it’s good to be able to separate them.”
Lets Chase The Dream, who boasts eight wins and six placings from just 17 starts, will need luck from inside the back row in Friday night’s WA Derby Prelude at Gloucester Park.
“It’s just a prelude so it’s better he draws there this week rather than in the final,” Rasmussen said.
Lets Chase The Dream is being stabled with top WA horseman Greg Bond and will driven by champion local Chris Lewis on Friday.
Hardest to beat will be yet another of Gary HalL Sr’s Kiwi imports, Overboard Again.
The former South Island son of American Ideal raced twice for a fifth on debut then an sparkling all-the-way Invercargill win before being sold to Hall Sr’s clients.
Overboard Again sharpened-up for his WA debut when he won a Byford trial by 25m in blistering time last Sunday.
The Purdon/Rasmussen Aussie raid extends to Melton on Saturday night with A Piccadilly Princess drawing gate three and dominating betting at $1.25 on the Aussie TAB in the third heat of the Victoria Oaks.
“Chris Alford will drive her. Mark and I have the big meeting at Addington this weekend,” Rasmussen said.
“She’s a really nice filly. Dream About Me is on a level of her own, I think she’d match it with the boys, but Piccadilly Princess would be comparable with Golden Goddess on that next level.”
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