A dramatic change in his training routine has revitalised Erskine Range and ace trainer-reinsman Colin Brown is confident that the six-year-old chestnut can overcome the back mark of 20m and prove the master of his nine rivals in the Alltools.com.au Handicap at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
“It’s not beyond him to win from there, and though I’ve got respect for several runners in the race, Erskine Range is ready for a strong effort,” Brown said.
“We’ve changed his work right around. We have tried to make him a bit sharper and he’s gone back to trackwork, doing the two one-mile heats (at ten-minute intervals at the Jandakot track). He is working those heats very well and is very keen.
“Previously he has never trackworked; he’s always galloped at the beach or on a sand track. The signs now are very good. He’s doing it very easily and the change seems to have brightened him.”
Erskine Range, who has amassed $245,300 from his 25 wins and 16 placings from 71 starts, is an M5-class pacer and from the 20m mark he meets his M0, M1, M2 and M3 rivals on excellent terms. Under automatic handicapping conditions Erskine Range would start off the 40m mark.
Despite this advantage Erskine Range will meet stiff opposition from smart pacers, including Atlastalone, Major Catastrophe, Simply Susational and Sonic Classic, as well as last-start winner Eminence Grise.
Boyanup trainer said that Atlastalone (10m) should prove to be hard to beat. “He’s in career-best form and I’ve left Brayden (Green) on because he has driven him in outstanding style for wins at his past two starts,” Prentice said. “Those wins were in mobile, but he is good out of a stand. And he worked very well today (Tuesday).”
The David Young-trained Major Catastrophe is a redoubtable stayer who is racing enthusiastically and looks hard to beat. Punters are also likely to rally behind Simply Susational, a winner at 12 of his 36 starts.
Simply Susational, trained by Greg and Skye Bond, reappeared after an absence of nine months when he worked hard without cover and wilted to finish fifth behind Donegal Chokin in a 2503m stand at Gloucester Park on Tuesday of last week. He won at ten of his previous 16 starts (as a four-year-old) and is most capable of making amends for his first-up unplaced effort.
Approved By Dean Baring www.harnessbred.com
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