By Michael Guerin
Few things in racing bring a smile to the face like a good old-fashioned punting sting.
Unfortunately, American Brave is not one of those stories.
The maiden pacer was the centre of a huge punting plunge at Alexandra Park last Friday, backed in from $15 to $3 in a splurge that would have cost the TAB well over $50,000 had he triumphed on debut.
The problem was he didn’t. The three-year-old raced erratically and dropped out late to finish ninth leaving the punters involved with some ticket confetti and a story about the one that got away.
But trainer Steven Telfer is convinced American Brave could of, and maybe should have, won and he thinks he will prove it in the last race at Alexandra Park tonight.
“He is a good horse, one of our better three-year-olds,” said Telfer.
“We had a horse bolt in earlier in the night and he was been beating him easily in track work before last Friday.
“On raw ability he can beat Dance Time, who has won three of his five starts for us and who we think can win a far tougher race this week.
“The problem is he (American Brave) hasn’t been able to put it together on race day and at the trials like he does at home but when he does he will easily win a maiden.”
Telfer, who sits equal second on the national premiership with five wins already for the season, says tonight’s last leg of the Pick6 should suit American Brave far better.
“It is a smaller field, not as strong as last Friday and there shouldn’t be as much pressure on him.
“As we saw last week he still has plenty to learn but if he produces his best I think he will win.”
Dance Time has come a long way in a short time and meets some race-hardened rivals in race six but not only was his recent hat-trick impressive but he made excellent ground in a fast last 400m when luckless last Friday so clearly hasn’t finished winning yet.
The problem for punters taking short odds about him tonight is the likelihood he could settle back and need a strong tempo to show his best.
That scenario looks the only real problem for Yagunnakissmeornot in tonight’s main trot (race eight) in which she may need to come from last over the mobile 1700m.
While that is hardly an easy pathway to success at Alexandra Park she is aided by the small field and last Friday she gave some of tonight’s rivals up to 45m start and beat them so she should win again.
Approved By Dean Baring www.harnessbred.com
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