Brilliant Bannockburn horseman Geoff Webster will be looking to add to his bulging trophy cabinet with Millburn Michael on Friday night
Like each of their nine rivals in Friday night’s $12,000 Weir’s Supa IGA St Arnaud Trotting Cup from Tabcorp Park, Melton, Geoff Webster and Millburn Michael will sleep easier on Thursday knowing they won’t have to worry about Down Under Muscles spoiling the party.
Along with his key adversaries, Gentle Image (10m), Lenny Lewis (20m) and Danny Bouchea (20m), in the 2760-metre stand start staying test; Millburn Michael has been a helpless recent victim of Chris Alford’s new squaregaiting wunderkind.
But with that budding champion noticeably absent from Friday night’s line-up, Webster senses the time may be nigh for his gifted son of Holdonmyheart to register his first feature triumph.
“He’s been really good this season, and with a little bit of luck in running he’s a got to be a chance in any of these sorts of races,” the Bannockburn based horseman said.
“It’s a bit hard last week running into a horse like Down Under Muscles, but if you take a horse like him out, my bloke’s competitive with the rest of them, so we give him every chance.”
Stepping from a 10-metre handicap in St Arnaud’s flagship race for squaregaiters, Webster’s former Kiwi trotter will be looking for a fourth win from his past five starts.
And having beaten home all but Down Under Muscles and fellow Friday night nomination Gentle Image in the George Gath Memorial last week, the eight-year-old gelding appears as well placed as any to become St Arnaud’s 11th trotting titleholder.
“I would say on form he’s one of the top two or three picks in the race,” his former South Australian conditioner said.
“And one thing you know you’re going to get from him is consistency. It won’t be easy – Gentle Image looks like he might have gone to another level of late, and there’s a couple of good ones off handicaps there.
“But with Gentle Image, he’s been doing a lot of his recent racing from up near the lead and if he has to come from behind, it might be a bit harder for him.
“What we know is that our horse is definitely well within himself and ready to go, so we’re really looking forward to the race.”