HIGH ENERGY IS NATH’S pick to take another step up at Melton Friday.
He rates her as the big improver among the Australian team on her work and does not worry that she is now racing older horses.
“The way she has worked since her last race here has been impressive. I think she is back to where she was last time in and the older horses may be hard to beat on paper but she has given me real confidence she can win”
THE REAL SHERLOCK has a handy Gate 4 in his Vicbred semi-final at Melton on Saturday with three Emma Stewart-trained youngsters (1 a ballot and if gets in gives her stable 5 runners) ) drawn inside him.Possibly the best of those,Perfect Pass, is drawn next to him if no scratchings. Only one runner,Dangerous, is rated above Sherlock but has the inside of the second row.It will be an interesting step up.
Qualifying for the $150,000 final next week will be at the top of the agenda.
On Friday HIGH ENERGY (pictured) steps up in class in a $20,000 R65-R79 trot at Melton where she has drawn the 3 gate. Her debut win was a virtual procession and this will be a lot harder but she has the ability to step up without too much trouble.
Form in the race is solid with the interesting entry being Keayang Ignite which is unbeaten but has not raced since an impressive VicBred Platinum series in 2019 when he won the $50,000 G1 3yo Final over 1720 in a 1.59 mile rate running 27 and change for the last 400m. He could not be expected to be that sharp after such a long absence as an aged stallion and HIgh Energy should measure up in this.
HIGH STEP and WE CAN HAVE IT ALL have now made their debut on their Aussie campaign, High Step scoring well at Cranbourne on Friday and We Can Have it All running second in her heat of the Vicbred Series on Monday, the heat being run in a slick enough time to better some of the three year old heats over 2190.
Greg took We Can Have It All to lead early and trailed from the bell. The $1.33 fave couldn’t quite catch a smart winner,leader Violet Stanford, also by Volstead ,who ran home in 29 and a 2.01.8 mile rate but it was a solid fresh display.
With THE REAL SHERLOCK and HIGH ENERGY already winners, Nathan’s team, driven by Greg Sugars, have done everything right so far.They will be hoping for more of the same as the thicker purses are up for grabs in the next few weeks.