The Maori's Idol Memorial will see Sundons Gift return to Moonee Valley for the first time since his unforgettable Inter Dominion win
He might be getting set for one of the world's biggest trotting races, but Sundons Gift won't just be going around for practice when he takes his place in the Maori's Idol Memorial at Moonee Valley this Saturday night.
Punters can rest assured that Chris Lang has the star of his Nagambie stable more forward than might be expected given he hasn't raced since winning the Inter Dominion Final on February 7 and is about to head off overseas.
This weekend's $20,000 Group 3 event will be the star seven-year-old's final Australian run before heading to Sweden for the $800,000 Elitlopp on May 31.
"It's been about five weeks since the Inter and he did have a couple of weeks off, so because we've got the European trip we've got to get him up and running because he'll lose a bit of fitness on the trip over," Lang said.
"So he's very forward. In a nutshell, he's ready to win."
The reigning Australian Trotter of the Year will start from outside of the front row (seven) in the 2575-metre mobile event at 7.47pm, which has attracted nine runners.
Lang has handed over the reins to son, Chris Jnr, for tomorrow night's race, but he urged punters not to read too much into that, as it was "Junior" who drove Sundons Gift to his first two wins of the 2008/09 season.
Lang Sr will partner Lleyton H (barrier nine), a last start winner of the Geelong Trotters Cup off 30m, while Chris Alford has the drive aboard stable third-stringer Flying Hardwick (five), a winner of two of his past three starts.
"It'll be hard for Lleyton H from the second line draw, but if things don't quite go right for Sundons Gift then he'll be there waiting to pounce and this might be Flying Hardwick's toughest test but he is drawn to possibly lead, which he loves doing," Lang said.
Maori's Idol Memorial night could be a big one for Lang, who gears up leading contender Westwood Castleton in the night's other trotting race, the $8000 Victorian Square Trotters Association Trotters Cup Final at 7.13pm.
"He's a nice horse on the way up," Lang said of the four-year-old. "He has a little bit of an issue with going away from the stand, but he went away last week and if he goes away with them again this week he'll give a very good sight."
Saturday night's quality meeting also features some quality pacing events.
The likes of Bold Cruiser, Sequoiahs Spirit and Lucky Elsie will be out to cash in on Victoria's top fast-class performers being on the Gold Coast for the Inter Dominion when they step out in the $20,000 SEW-Eurodrive Free-For-All at 9.45pm.
Some of Victoria's most promising M0-M1s will go around in three heats of the Rising Stars Pace, while the pride of Moama, boom filly Lady Belladonna, will pursue a fourth-straight win at her Moonee Valley debut in the $20,000 Junction Tabaret Sapling Stakes.
