Down Under Muscles has drawn to advantage in Friday Night's SEW-Eurodrive Scotch Notch at Tabcorp Park
If the Tabcorp Park Australasian Breeders Crown series were the equivalent of the AFL National under 18 championships then this year’s four-year-old trotters – at least two of them – might be part of a rarely seen superdraft.
So as Chris Alford’s star squaregaiter, Down Under Muscles, who ran a gallant Crown second to the horse Chris Lang has spruiked as Sundons Gift’s heir apparent, Let Me Thru, approaches his first legitimate foray into the big time this Friday night, all eyes will be on the new recruit.
And while the son of Muscles Yankee won’t be, “100 percent wound up” for the $20,000 Group 3 Scotch Notch at Tabcorp Park, his polemarking draw and growing reputation ensure he’ll be watched and judged free of fear or favour.
“He had a couple of weeks off after the Breeders Crown, so he’s probably going to need the run,” Alford reported.
“He had a quiet trial the other day, and while I’d say he’s probably not where he was when he raced in the Crown, he seems well enough in himself.
“It’s a big positive that he’s drawn the front with a start on some of the better ones, and while I wouldn’t be surprised if he won, if they run it along he is going to be vulnerable the last little bit.”
Gifted with outstanding, brutal high speed, Alford’s five-year-old has certainly done his underage apprenticeship having been among the best of his generation at two and three, securing eight wins from just 16 starts.
But it was during his breakout season at four, particularly that stunning Breeders Crown Final where he and Let Me Thru left a quality field lamenting almost 20-metres astern as they waged a two-horse war that Down Under Muscles announced himself a star of the future.
And allowed his talented trainer to dream of what might lie ahead.
“He just got better and better through the year,” Alford said. “He was stiff not to win it (Breeders Crown) but the other one was just too good on the day.
“Right now we’re just looking forward to all the better races, starting on Friday night, where we can drive him nice and quiet and use his speed to advantage.
“This is really just a kick off to get him used to racing against the older ones, to get him a bit more seasoned. He’s only had 24 starts.
“His Grand Finals will be the big races in December all the way to the Inter Dom in New Zealand, that’s when you’ll see him at his top.”
The Scotch Notch features a fantastic field of emerging trotters, including race backmarker Don King (30m), renascent gelding Earl of Mot (10m) and boom mare Heyzeal (FT) and will be run at 9.10pm.
