Club Menangle/Pacepix
KIWIS are set to get a sneak preview of two Aussie stars ahead of Cambridge’s Night of Champions on April 10.
Trainer Chantal Turpin revealed brilliant trotter Gus and emerging pacing star The Janitor were set to race at Cambridge eight days ahead of the big night.
“We’re going across early enough and that’s the plan,” she said.
Gus, who stunningly won the Group 1 trotting double – Dominion and NZ Free-For-All – during last November’s NZ Cup Week, will tackle the $60,000 Group 2 Waikato Trotters’ Flying Mile.
The Janitor, fresh from that awesome second to Leap To Fame in the Miracle Mile, is likely to contest the $60,000 Waikato Pacers Flying Mile on the same night, April 2.
“They’re heading straight back home for now (from Sydney to Brisbane) and then we’ll bring them back down by road to get a flight to Auckland,” Turpin said.
“The plan is to give them a run the week before and then go to the slot races.
“It’s hard being away from home for long with a big stable and young family, but a run before the slot races works well.”
Turpin ruled out either horse staying beyond the slot races for other big races like the Dominion Trot, Messenger, etc.
“No, they’ll come home after Cambridge,” she said. “Then we’ll get them ready for the Inter Dominion (Albion Park in July).”
Gus found the task of starting from an extreme outside draw, getting back to last and making a midrace move beyond him when a brave fourth to Keayang Zahara in last Saturday night’s $100,000 Group 1 Hammerhead Mile.
It was their first clash.
Turpin conceded Gus’ history of making mistakes at the start and being placed out of the draw made it hard.
“We will look to get him back in the draw, but not until after the Cambridge trip,” she said.
“It’s been such a long battle to get him trotting this well and not doing anything wrong, we won’t change anything yet.
“When we get him home after NZ, we’ll put him back in the draw and see how goes in a couple of races before the Inter Dominion.”
The Janitor thrilled driver Pete McMullen with his Miracle Mile run.
“I thought I had Leap To Fame when we really let down and sprinted, but he dug in and we peaked on our run a bit,” he said.
“It didn’t help when he got pushed wide on the (home) bend. He’s have got closer.
“It’s all starting to come together for him. Hopefully this is his year.” - Adam Hamilton
