21 December 2017 | Paul Courts
ONE is the chief and the other is a warrior looking to claim the leader’s position at the bottom of the Totem Pole.
That’s the best way of describing stablemates Futurist and Whenmechief, which are set to clash in Saturday night’s Christmas Cup at Globe Derby.
Futurist has fared better in the pole, while Whenmechief has drawn awkwardly in five.
Whenmechief not only enters the feature as the defending champion, but the head of the Darren Billinger ‘tribe’.
The gelding is the experienced elder, with his record for Billinger consisting of 22 starts at the venue for eight wins and eight placings – including a third in the Group One South Australia Cup last January.
“The Chief has been there and done that, so he has to be respected,” Billinger said. “He is feeling great after two runs back and will be hard to beat.
“He won first-up and was then caught wide in the 1385-metre sprint last week when a good fourth.
“He’s been working well since and will be better again this week, plus the 2645 metres will suit.”
Along with a proven open class record, Whenmechief has beaten Futurist in two of their last three encounters.
Futurist’s won the Strathalbyn Cup last June, with Whenmechief finishing third.
“In fairness to Futurist when they met a couple of times over in Victoria recently he got crook,” Billinger said.
“He’s had a couple of starts back from a break too and will be better again this week.
“If can hunt up and hold the lead from the pole, he is certainly the one to beat.”
Billinger is priming the pair for the South Australia Cup on January 13, with each expected to have one more start before the state’s premier meeting.
“There are a few options for both of them over the next three weeks,” Billinger said. “I want to give them at least one more start each, but may try to separate them in the build up to the Pacing Cup.”
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