By Michael Guerin
Trotting’s magic man believes he can pull off his second 20-1 group one winner this month in tomorrow night’s Anzac Cup.
And while coming from anybody else that might sound wishful thinking, when master trainer Paul Nairn says it it is worth punters paying attention to.
Nairn is one of the most respected trainer in the industry so it was rare to see him produce a big-odds winner when Lotamuscle blew past red hot favourite Enhance Your Calm in the $100,000 NZ Trotting Derby at Addington on April 5.
The pair clash again in the $60,000 Sires’ Stakes at Alexandra Park’s huge premier meeting tomorrow night and while both have second line draws it is tempting for punters that Lotamuscle is rated a $6.50 chance in early markets compared with Enhance Your Calm’s $1.35 quote.
But while Nairn thinks Lotamuscle can win with the right sit-sprint trip it is later in the night he believes he has the blowout chance in the $100,000 Anzac Cup.
Nairn has both Ronald J and Habibi Inta in the outstanding open class field and says a huge improvement from Ronald J wouldn’t surprise.
At his best the big trotter has looked to have serious x-factor but has let punters down with a pair of sixth placings in his last two starts. Nairn says he has had excuses.
“I was disappointed by his last start so we had him checked out and he had a few issues,” he explains.
“He had a few minor soreness issues we worked on and also had a high white blood cell count, which suggests he had an infection.
“That has been fixed too and he has better now. And his work at home has suggested he is even happy right-handed than he is down home.
“So with a good draw and some gate speed I think he can be handy or even lead and I can’t see any reason he can’t win, even allowing for how strong the field is.”
With the TAB bookies opening Ronald J at $21 that gives punters a real chance in one of the best trotting races of the season.
Auckland Cup winner Turn It Up is set to start a odds-on favourite in the $100,000 Taylor Mile having opened at $1.60 even though he has drawn outside Miracle Mile winner Spankem.
The latter opened $3.10 but was backed into $2.60 last night in the sprint which has already seen Triple Eight scratched.
Unbeaten filly Sweet On Me is the $1.16 good thing for the night in the Caduceus Club Classic.
Approved By Dean Baring www.harnessbred.com
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