Nathan’s mixed feelings about his best of the night sums up the stable challenge at Alexandra Park tonight with no major expectations going into the programme if plenty of interest.
“ENVY OF ANGELS is probably our best on the night but I couldn’t put her above ALECTO who is a class filly with major targets coming but whose class makes her a leading chance”
Envy of Angels (7.11) the $3.10 second favourite with a widish gate but impressive leadup form is regarded more highly than QUEEN OF TROY ($16) who has the ace gate and ace horseman Tony Herlihy ;and ARISUS ($20) Nathan’s drive, first up at $20 who trialled nicely and placed first up in her last campaign.She is raced by the Kirkwoods of Victoria long time Purdon patrons since the days of the wonderful Smolda and is by another former stable star in Vincent. Arisus put pressure on Cyclone Micky in a recent trial and he is one of the favoured runners here in a race for different ages.
First up is NANCY LATOUR the Love You trotter making her debut and well found at $3.10 though Muscle Memory from the ace dominates the betting.
” Big girl and bold trotter but experience is not there yet and most trotters need that.Not knocking her potential just that she is a learner at this stage. Her trials have been good though but she broke early in the latest and lost a lot of ground.”
MICKY HILL (9.08) even while second favourite at $6.50 is another seeking more race practice.He galloped in front when challenged in his trial trotting smoothly up until then. But he won a two year old maiden first up in May for breeder Graeme Rogerson (2.49) and had also been handled by Mark, a co-owner,at one stage.
“He has a lot to learn and the older horses in this are a factor. I expect him to improve a lot with this run though he has the ability if everything did go right for him.”
Micky Hill is the first runner for Nathan with Mark’s wife, Barbara, in the ownership so the best is hoped for.
Filly ALECTO with proven form in age group off difficult runs ,and the ability to master these rivals has a chance in the Nevele R heat perhaps summed up by the generous $5 win price maybe because of her gate and the 1700m trip- though she has clocked a 1.56 mile rate at it previously. In her favour is that her form is misleading until strength of rivals, bad gates and bad luck are taken into consideration,
“She’s good enough to win it and going along well. I would say that she has some major targets down the track and so while she would be able to win this I have those longer term spring races in the back of my mind. She will be better over further. She is there to win if it all turns out well.”
Pic: The magnificent Smolda,probably the most underrated pacer of his era whose Australian co-owners the Kirkwood family have Aristus resuming at Alexandra Park