Group 1 pacer My Kiwi Mate resumes on Saturday night in the M1-M2 Join The Pegasus Club Pace at Tabcorp Park Melton.
Trainer Craig Demmler told punters on RSN’s Inside Word today that the five-year-old son of Bettors Delight-Classic Nymph was ready to fire after a five-month spell.
“His two trials have been terrific this time in, they’ve ran good time at Melton. I’m pretty confident,” Demmler said.
“He’s drawn out the back, so we’ve got to hope they roll along a bit, but he’s pretty forward in fitness.”
My Kiwi Mate placed second in a Queensland Derby as a three-year-old behind Australian Horse of the Year three-year-old Menin Gate and placed third again behind that horse and Mark Purdon’s Follow The Stars in the Breeders Crown Final.
Last season as a four-year-old My Kiwi Mate notched seven wins from 11 goes and placed fourth in the 4YO Emerald on New Zealand Harness Jewels Day and second in the Group 1 Messenger Championship at Auckland.
“Racing in New Zealand he’d had a bit of a hard campaign. He came back and won his M0 and M1 and I thought he deserved a good break,” Demmler said.
“He’s coming along very well. I’m very happy with him.”
Demmler has entered My Kiwi Mate in both the upcoming Victorian Summer of Glory features, the Eynesbury Victoria Cup and the Del-Re National A.G. Hunter Cup.
“We’re going to see how he comes up through the summer carnival. He’s come through the classes pretty quickly … so if everything is going good we’re hoping that we can be there in January and February.”
Demmler, who has 751 career winners to his name as a driver and 325 as a trainer, said My Kiwi Mate was up there with the best horses he has educated.
“He’s the nicest horse I’ve been able to train for a long time.”
INSIDE WORD PODCAST, FEATURING CRAIG DEMMLER AND MICHAEL HUGHES
Approved By Dean Baring www.harnessbred.com
Driving The Future Of Harness Racing
