By Adam Hamilton
STAR Kiwi trotter Speeding Spur will have to overcome a tricky draw when he returns to Melton to chase another Group 1 win on Saturday night.
In contrast, another classy Kiwi trotter Sunny Ruby looks the main threat on the strength of her recent fantastic form and a favourable barrier (gate four) in the $100,000 Group 1 Australian Trotting Grand Prix (2240m).
Speeding Spur has drawn barrier seven, but will come into six if emergency Its Not Dark Yet doesn’t gain a start.
Speeding Spur and Sunny Ruby ran second and respectively when they last met in the Group 1 Great Southern Star behind Glenferrie Typhoon on Hunter Cup night.
Glenferrie Typhoon has since succumbed to injury and been spelled.
Sunny Ruby, now in the care of Sonya Smith and Anthony Butt, has gone on to post three wins, two of them at Group 1 level.
Although Andy and Kate Gath don’t have Glenferrir Typhoon in the feature, they have two runners in former Kiwi mares Clover Mac (gate one) and K D Muscles (12).
The other Kiwi flavour in the race comes with Daryl Boko and Prince Fearless.
Daryl Boko, who has been switched from Tim Butt to Sonya Smith for an extended Aussie campaign, has gate two.
The enigmatic Prince Fearless was transferred from the All Stars’ barn to Nicole Molander after winning a support race on Hunter Cup night and has gate six this week.
Molander also has a strong hand in another of the features, the $50,000 Group 1 Breed For Speed Gold final (1720m) with High Gait from barrier three.
The main threats look to be Red Hot Tooth (gate three), Sky Petite (eight) and Heavenly Sister (10).
Also of note is the enormous growing influence of Yabby Dams owner Pat Driscoll and his private trainer Anton Golino.
They have a staggering seven of the 11 runners in the $60,000 Need For Speed Princess final for three-year-old trotting fillies.
Golino has repeatedly said Dance Craze, to be driven by Gavin Lang, is the pick of his fillies when she does everything right.
Approved By Dean Baring www.harnessbred.com
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