Lemnos trained four-year-old gelding Shared Interest is set to make a welcome return to the race track at Ararat tonight in the first heat of the Pegasus Spur @ Woodlands Tontine Trotters Series.
Shared Interest showed ability in his five outings as a two-year-old, including a gallant second to Eljaykay Phoenix in the rich Breeders Crown Final of 2014. Five days later he notched up an 18-metre victory at Melton and looked set for a bright future.
“Then he did a suspensory and didn’t race at all as a three-year-old,” explained trainer Russell Jack. “It’s been a long and slow road back to full recovery but hopefully it will be worth the time and effort.”
Two solid trials at Shepparton in early February showed Jack his charge was finally ready for a return to the pressure of racing.
“The Tontine happened to come up at the right time for the horse,” he said. “It’s always been a nice race but he certainly hasn’t been rushed into it.
“We were taking him to the trials again last weekend but they were called off because of the heat.
“It wasn’t a worry ‘though, with Nathan and Amanda here there’s always plenty of horses to work with so his fitness won’t be an issue tonight.”
Owners of the heat winners at Ararat and Terang on March 9 will receive an inscribed rug donated by Woodlands Stud, New Zealand.
Top points earners from the heats will then assemble at Horsham to contest the $20.5k Group 3 Pegasus Spur @ Woodlands Tontine Trotters Series Final on Labour Day holiday Monday March 14th.
The Tontine Trotters Series is jointly conducted by the South West Zone Clubs (Ararat, Ballarat, Geelong, Hamilton, Horsham, Stawell & Terang) with the inaugural Final taken out by Vivanover (Keith Allen) at Stawell in 1985.
Approved By Dean Baring www.harnessbred.com
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