By Adam Hamilton
Star pacer Hectorjayjay’s return race itself was hassle-free, but the days leading-up to caused connections angst.
The six-year-old made a winning return to race when he led throughout and scored by 8.3m in the $60,000 Group 2 Shepparton Cup (2690m) last Saturday night.
It was his first run since the brave second to Smolda in the Perth Inter Dominion final on January 9.
But it was a race he almost didn’t start in.
Driver Josh Aiken said Hectorjayjay sent a scare through the camp when he “wasn’t quite himself” during the week.
“That’s why we got his blood tested and it came back about 80 per cent right,” he said. “We then waited and had our vet (Simon Robinson) check him again on the morning (of the Cup) before making the final decision on running him.
“I went into the race confident. I saw him bouncing all around his paddock in the morning (Saturday) and that was enough to tell me he was ready to go.”
Aiken said Hectorjayjay felt his old self once he speared to the front at Shepparton.
“He won well and wasn’t fully extended, but he felt like he just needed the run a bit in the final stages,” he said. “It’s good to get that run into him.”
Aiken said connections were considering running Hectorjayjay again in the sprint – the support race to the Ballarat Cup – at Ballarat next Saturday night.
Maybe it’s a long shot, but there is some chance Lazarus could also head to that race.
If they don’t meet at Ballarat, the megastar pair will clash for the first time in the Group 1 Victoria Cup at Melton on Saturday week.
In other stable news, Lennytheshark will definitely resume in the Ballarat Cup against Smolda and others.
“Dad was really, really happy with his work (over the weekend) and he’s set to go. His foot is fine,” he said.
“We’re actually taking him to the (Melton) trials on Tuesday so Chris (Alford) can hop on and have a drive of him before Ballarat.”
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