By Adam Hamilton
BREEDERS Crown Super Sunday is one of the favourite days on the calendar for ex-Kiwi trainer Brent Lilley.
Not long after making Australia, or more specifically Victoria home, Lilley scored an upset Breeders Crown final win with trotting mare Rosalie Bay in the 4YO final in 2013.
Then, last year, he snared his second Crown final win when Our Twentyten took out the final for three-year-old trotters.
This year, on a day where the Kiwi-based trainers dominate the betting markets, Lilley is one of the key Aussie trainers with eight runners across the 11-race card.
Heading the charge is one of the best and most exciting pacers Lilley has trained, the adorable and gutsy Messini in the 4YO Entires and Geldings Championship.
But Lilley’s also optimistic recent stable addition Missandei can upset her former stablemate, High Gait, in the $84,000 Group 1 final for two-year-old trotting fillies.
“High Gait’s got the draw again and she’ll be hard to beat, but we follow through behind her, should be right on her back and trying to out-ping her,” he said.
“The worry is what, if any, pressure will be on High Gait in front, but, regardless, I still think we’re a good chance because Missandei has such a nice turn of foot. I’m sure she’ll make a real race of it.”
Back to Messini and Lilley knows the first 100m will be crucial now he’s drawn the pole and main danger, Hectorjayjay, has gate four.
“I think we can hold him out. The last time we really tried from a similar draw was at Charlton a few months back.
We were going to hold Hector that day, but Simone (Walker, driver) virtually put us over the marker legs to get across,” he said.
“I reckon if Chris (Alford, driver) really puts the handle bars down he’ll hold the front. “If he doesn’t, I’m sure he’ll be straight away from the inside and trying to re-take the front.
“Our horse needed the run last week and still finished-off in quicker than 55sec and won really well. He’s thrived since.
“He’s the most wonderful horse who just keeps improving and I’m sure he’ll develop into a serious Grand Circuit horse over the next 12 months.”
Lilley rates former buzz juvenile trotter My Arya as his third-best winning hope on the day in the 3YO trotting fillies’ final.
“She was crook when she ran so poorly in the Derby and it was a rush to get her back for the (Crown) heat, which she still won quite well,” he said.
“She’s really worked well since and I think we’re going there with close to the very best My Arya again.
“From inside the back row, I want Anthony coming straight off the inside, going around to sit outside the leader and making it as staying test.”
Lilley concedes the draw has cruelled the chances of his improving three-year-old Sluggem in a super strong final.
“He’s on the up, big time. He was so good winning the semi in front, but it’s going to be a huge ask from outside the back row with the favourites (Follow The Stars and Menin Gate) all drawn so well,” he said.
The lightly-raced but improving Imahe Man is a place chance in the 2YO trotting colts and geldings final, but Lilley says beating Conon Bridge will be hard.
“It looks Conon Bridge’s race. My horse will make a nice three-year-old. He’ll run a race this week, but from the draw I’d be happy with a top three or four finish,” he said.
Lilley conceded his two finalists in the three-year-old colts and geldings trotting final – Kyvalley Boomerang (gate seven) and Im Starlight Starbright (eight) – would struggle.
“They’re a few lengths of the best ones in that final. They might finish top five if things go right,” he said.
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