MENANGLE trainer Shane Tritton will not be changing the driving tactics on Mach Beauty in Saturday night’s Kevin Robinson Cup at Tabcorp Park Menangle despite the scratching of Hunter Cup runner-up Ohoka Punter. Tritton has been encouraged with the recent performances of Mach Beauty when driven as a sit-sprinter and he will continue to instruct driver Lauren Panella to drive the gelding in the same way in the short term.
“I think Mach Beauty has actually lost a little bit of his gatespeed anyway because of the way we have been driving him recently,” Tritton said.
“Because we haven’t been burning him off the gate and saving him up for the one run he has been a lot more relaxed in the score up and even with the scratching of Ohoka Punter I don’t see the need to change tactics. If we had continued to drive him aggressively week in and week out it was only going to make it tougher for the horse mentally and I think he has shown us with some of his recent efforts that he is a lot happier these days being driven more conservatively.”
Mach Beauty’s last win was eleven starts ago and the son of Mach Three is currently in the longest losing streak of his career. The seven-year-old gelding last won a race in October last year but has since competed in an Inter Dominion series and a qualifier for the Miracle Mile.
“When you get up in grade and are racing the best horses in the country there are no easy wins. I haven’t been disappointed with Mach Beauty of late, he has run some great races behind horses like Smolda and Beautide, I think it is just a matter of him finding the right race and I think Saturday night looks a good one for him.
“It is a similar story with Easy On The Eye, I’m not going to charge him out of the gate either, looking at the race with Ohoka Punter scratched I think Narissa’s horse (Bettor Draw) has proven it is capable of competing against these horses and drawn inside us looks the leader.”
Tritton confirmed he was looking forward to getting Mach Beauty back into the grind of racing week in and week out since his move to Menangle.
“Mach Beauty has been one of the biggest winners with our move to Menangle because he was one horse that was always travelling back and forth to Sydney. As a sit-sprinter he is going to relish constant racing and that will be the plan with him going forward.”
Meanwhile Miracle Mile placegetter Arms Of An Angel had her first serious track session on Thursday since returning from a short break. The daughter of Elsu was jaded after a tough campaign and Tritton confirmed the time off had done the four-year-old mare the world of good.
“She had come to the end of it after the Miracle Mile, she had competed in some big races and it had taken its toll on her both mentally and physically but she seems a lot calmer since she has been back in the stables.
“I’d like her to get a run under her belt before the first week in May, she may have a couple of trials after that, I’m unsure but we want to make sure she’s pretty close to the mark before we head off on our trip.”
Arms Of An Angel’s major shareholder Zac Cornell has made his next purchase and Tritton is excited about his new acquisition. Cornell and some other clients have purchased a two-year-old trotter called The Male Model.
“Zac has got a great eye for a horse, he has bought Mach Beauty, Suave Stuey Lombo and Arms Of An Angel after they have begun their careers. Hopefully we can have as much luck with the new purchase.
“I’m pretty excited by The Male Model and he is due to make his debut next week.”
Approved By Dean Baring www.harnessbred.com
Driving The Future Of Harness Racing
