By Adam Hamilton
TIM Butt’s emerging star Let It Ride could be Inter Dominion favourite after this weekend.
But that’s the last thing on Butt’s mind when his buzz five-year-old returns from a spell in the free-for-all at Menangle on Sunday.
“This is a starting point and a hard one at that,” Butt said. “He’s ready for the races, but he’s got the outside draw over a mile and he’s up against some really nice, race fit horses.
“Where he finishes is really going to come down to how the race is run. If they go hard all the way he’s in with a chance, if not he’s up against. I just expect to be hitting the line really strongly.”
Let It Ride is first-up since stepping into the big league and blowing his rivals in the Group 1 Blacks A Fake at Albion Park on July 21.
He faces some hot opposition this week with Franco Nelson set to start from the pole (if emergency Jedi Mind doesn’t get into the field), speedstar and likely leader Majordan in seven, the rejuvenated Cash N Flow in eight and classy Gotta Go Ya Hu in 10.
“He’s won his two trials and he’s come back really well, but this is the first of three or four runs he’ll to get wound-up for the Inter Dominion.
“The plan is to race this week, back-up against next week, then have two weeks between his second and third runs.”
Much attention will be on Majordan with trainer Kevin Pizzuto still keen for him accompany Tiger Tara to NZ with the NZ FFA his target.
Franco Nelson is coming off a terrific fourth in the Victoria Cup, while Cash N Flow returned to his best form winning a support race on that Victoria Cup program.
Let It Ride is currently $7 second favourite on the Aussie TAB for the Inter Dominion behind Tiger Tara at $4.50.
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