Nathan could easily have two winners on Friday’s Alexandra Park programme.But then again he might not have any.
Any time LOOK TO DA STARS lines up there is optimism. And also an equal amount of doubt. This week could see more of the optimism- and less doubt
“Kerry (Estreich) shod him before his last start at Addington when he showed what he could do and he shod him again before he came home. He has worked real good this week and so easy to think he could win again.But he’s a funny horse. When he is 100 percent he feels and races terrific but if he’s 5 per cent off the performance drops by about 35 per cent.
So we can’t tip him but know he is good enough to win’
Kerry is a long time Purdon stables blacksmith who has been a key figure through its greatest era of success and an especially in the careers of trotting stars I Can Doosit and Oscar Bonavena as well as innumerable star pacers whose problems he always managed to solve. Part of the reason for Look To Da Stars going south was so Canterbury-based Kerry could check him out.
Look To Da Stars has a strong and patient fanbase and they have come again for this one. He is lined up for a final of the series at his next start and seems to Nathan to be in that “100 per cent” range.
INCENTIVISE is the other stable runner and he is the favourite on the strength of two strong second placings. But Nathan has a reservation.
“On what he has done he must be the horse to beat. But I have been happier with him. He might still be good enough”
Nathan has put his doubts down to what Incentivise did earlier.
“He came back and worked and trialled well. We thought he was up to the top three year old races. Then he had a little leg setback. Nothing serious just had to ease for a short time. Since then he has worked ok but not up to the standard he had shown us before. But in saying that this is an easier race than some he has had so I still think he can go close.
I haven’t talked to Dad about it but he would probably go back from there and not have too tough a run in transit”
Nathan and Ashley are largely concentrating on youngsters at this time of the season and JUST US TWO trialled strongly during the week.
“They actually ran faster sectionals than I had anticipated they would and he was not quite seasoned for a 56 plus half so I will just see how he comes through it.He is ready to win one if it hasn’t knocked him. I was planning to run next week but I will wait now until after I work him Monday before making a decision on that”