18 January 2019 | AMANDA RANDO
LAUREN Tritton sat behind the fastest three-year-old pacer to ever grace a track in Australasia just recently.
And now the top reinswoman is excited to see what Muscle Factory can produce against some of the nation’s best at Ballarat on Saturday night.
Muscle Factory set a southern hemisphere record when clocking 1:49.6 in the Simpson Memorial at Menangle a fortnight ago.
And on Saturday night south of the border the colt faces his next challenge in a heat of the Victoria Derby.
“I’m really excited to see what Muscle can do against the best of them,” said Tritton.
“It’s hard not to declare a horse that just won in 1:49.
“I’m not worried about the smaller track either as we saw what he did at Albion Park.”
However, there is an element Tritton is concerned about.
“It is the hardest heat but we’ve drawn accordingly,” said Tritton.
“It’s still going to be tough facing the locals on their home turf . . . some of those horses have been raised on that track their whole life so they have that advantage.”
Some of those dangers include Lochinvar Art and Australian Pacing Gold winner Centenario.
Meanwhile, the $1.65 TAB Fixed Odds favourite is the Mark Purdon and Natalie Rasmussen-trained Im Another Masterpiece.
Tritton does not have to face the powerful Purdon/Rasmussen combination in her other Victoria Derby heat with Petes Big Jim.
The gelding is a $15 chance behind the $2.50 elect Max Delight and the Menangle Park horsewoman is full of praise of her drive’s latest effort at his local track.
Petes Big Jim finished fourth to Muscle Factory in the scintillating Simpson Memorial.
“He went into that race 50/50 after being sore and tender on his feet and he is only a little horse but has a heart of gold to push through and go as well as he did,” said Tritton.
“He went 1:50 himself and I’ll drive him conservative now as he steps up with the big boys.”
‘Team Tritton’ will be represented on home soil at Menangle on Saturday night as well with seven runners nominated.
This includes Tritton’s two recent Inter Dominion campaigners My Alpha Rock and Maximan.
“Maximan and Alpha are super since the trip to Victoria,” said Tritton.
“We private trialled them around Menangle and they worked the mile in 1:51.
“It’s not easy for them coming back to racing in that grade but we are happy with how they have come back after their campaign.”
Tritton trains her team of horses with her husband Shane Tritton and they have trained 264 winners since starting their partnership in the 2016/17 season.
Some fun facts:
Mile Records – Australasian:
http://www.harness.org.au/hra/annual/public/records/ausn_milep.pdf
HRA’s Milestones – Pacers
http://www.harness.org.au/hra/annual/public/records/mstonesp.pdf
Approved By Dean Baring www.harnessbred.com
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