When My Chachingchaching and Kept Under Wraps last clashed they had different trainers and drivers, were racing in another country and competed right handed. The pair is set to meet again in Saturday night’s Maitland Inter City Pace after squaring off in last season’s Northern Derby at Alexandra Park when they finished down the track behind Have Faith In Me.
My Chachingchaching was purchased by new owners and sent to the stables of Hunter Valley trainer Shane Tritton, however not everything has gone smoothly since the talented pacer arrived across the Tasman.
“Ideally we would have had him ready for the Breeders Crown last season but we had a few setbacks when he first arrived so it has taken a bit longer than we would have hoped to have him ready,” Tritton said.
“My Chachingchaching is not the typical New Zealander we have targeted in the past, normally we identify speed horses and look to strengthen them up here in Australia but this bloke is very tough and has a lot of bottom.”
The son of Mach Three was impressive in his heat win last Sunday and Tritton believes he should hold the front from the good draw.
“It is very hard to cross horses from out wide at Maitland and while I wouldn’t be surprised to see Kept Under Wraps fire out from wide to try and cross, I can’t see him crossing.
“If My Chachingchaching holds the front then his strength is going to take him a long way, the distance of the race is right up his alley.”
Tritton confirmed My Chachingchaching will be set for the qualifiers of the Chariots of Fire after Saturday night.
“I wouldn’t expect the horse to need another run after this weekend but I’ll just monitor his condition and if he needs another one then I’ll throw him in somewhere.
“I’d love to win the Inter City Pace because I think this will be my eighth or ninth runner and I’m still looking for my first win in the race.”
Ardghal started at $1.04 two years ago for Tritton and was beaten in one of the race’s biggest upsets.
“It is a hard race to win but it is a race I would really like to have success in, it has been around for a long time and it is a race that locals love winning.”
Tritton is not the only ‘local’ attempting to win the event with fellow Hunter Valley resident Markus Kirkwood attempting to win it also as the part owner of the Belinda McCarthy trained Kept Under Wraps.
Formerly trained by Mark Purdon, the four-year-old is unbeaten since joining the McCarthy stable and Kirkwood is hoping to follow a family tradition by winning the race.
“My cousin Grahame won the race in 1974 with Blue Mineral and my father went close as an owner in the late 60’s with a horse called Maitland’s Elect,” Kirkwood said.
“I would certainly like to win the Inter City Pace because of the family connection and the fact the race has a rich history and is held in high regard by all local participants.”
Kept Under Wraps won last season’s NSW Breeders Challenge at Tabcorp Park Menangle when prepared by Purdon and the next logical step for the talented four-year-old is another clash with My Chachingchaching in the lead up races of the Chariots of Fire.
For the record when the pair met in the Northern Derby – Kept Under Wraps finished ninth, one metre ahead of the tenth placed My Chachingchaching and according to the market for the Inter City Pace they look set to finish side by side again.
Approved By Dean Baring www.harnessbred.com
Driving The Future Of Harness Racing
