Tanabi Bromac will make his debut in Open Class company in this Saturday night's MHRC Classic from Moonee Valley
Elmore trainer Keith Cotchin will be hoping for an early birthday present on Saturday night when his star pacer Tanabi Bromac steps into Free-For-All company for the first time in the MHRC Classic from Moonee Valley.
A semi-surprise party for Cotchin, who turns 50 on November 23 means he won’t be at the former home of Victorian harness racing to watch his Victoria Derby winner meet open class opposition for the first time, but he is confident the horse is on an upward spiral.
“He’s going good right now” the trainer said, “He always takes a couple of runs to get to his top and he’s had no luck at his first couple of starts back so we’re pretty pleased with where he’s at.”
Unofficially clocked as running his last half-mile in “55.5 or 55.6-seconds” at his latest start when exploding home to run second to Mister Grizzly at Tabcorp Park, the freakishly quick son of Live or Die certainly appears to have come back to racing in grand style.
If there’s further improvement to come, as is the opinion of Cotchin then it may take more than a rise in grade to stop him on Saturday night.
“He’s drawn two in the race” Cotchin said with relief, “So we’ll have more options this time.” But when quizzed whether Tanabi Bromac will adopt a lead at all costs tactic in the race, the likable trainer reminds us of the esteem in which Gavin Lang continues to be held.
“You don’t give G. Lang too many instructions do you?” is Cotchin’s rhetorical reply, “If that’s ever the case then we’re in a lot of trouble.”
However in an indication that the horse won’t be used up to the detriment of his withering finish, Cotchin said, “he’s more of a speed horse than a stayer, and he’s still got a little bit of improvement left to come, so we’ll learn a lot from Saturday with regard to the future.”
That immediate future for the five-year-old beyond Saturday is the Cranbourne Cup seven days later Cotchin disclosed. “All things being equal that’s where we’re headed, the Cranbourne Cup. We’ve got to get through Saturday first, but that’s the plan.”
Tanabi Bromac heads a field of rising stars in the MHRC Classic along with the recently unlucky Veranjee and injury plagued Captain Kalahari who will be taking on established stars Cincinnati Kid, Bold Cruiser and comeback kid Sting Lika Bee.
The MHRC Classic is the seventh race on a program headlined by the running of an incredibly strong Spring Championship final featuring Mister Zion and Mister GNP.
The first race on the card is scheduled to start at 6.35pm with Tanabi Bromac and Co to leave the mobile in the MHRC Classic at 9.30pm.
