Gavin Lang is no stranger to Breeders Crown success, pictured here with connections of Passions Promise after a stunning win in 2010
He’s got a tricky barrier and a couple of Grand Circuit stars of the future to contend with, but Gavin Lang considers David Hercules his best chance of adding to his record number of Australasian Breeders Crown titles in 2011.
The champion Melton reinsman will partner the Western Australian star in the $100,000 4YO Entires and Geldings Final – one of six Group 1s he will participate in on the biggest day of the Victorian harness calendar.
Lang knows better than anyone what it takes to win a Breeders Crown, having celebrated seven victories previously, and while he’s convinced the David Thompson-trained gelding has what it takes, he is respectful of the opposition.
“Franco Jamar has already qualified for an Inter (Dominion) Final and Lanercost is a budding Grand Circuit star as well, so while I say I think he’s my best chance, I think he’s in a very hard race.”
Dual Vicbred Super Series champion David Hercules will start from barrier eight – inside the back row – in the 2240m final that sees Kiwi raider Franco Jamar drawn barrier one and Queensland gun Lanercost seven.
The son of Artesian, who finished sixth in last year’s final behind Devil Dodger, sealed his 2011 final berth with a cushy 1:57.7 heat win, which followed a fine 1.8m second to Australasian mile rate record holder Smoken Up at his first crack at free-for-all grade.
“He had a good first-up run, it was only a short race and he had a nice trip in transit and made a late surge in the straight, which was an ideal hit-out leading into this (series),” Lang said.
“The other day he had a good barrier, found the front and controlled things from there. He was probably a bit too well on Sunday – he was really wanting to get running in the last lap and I had to sit against him to get him to go as slow as he did – so the signs are pretty good.”
Lang has won five Breeders Crown finals in the past three years to edge one win clear of Chris Alford on the table of most successful Breeders Crown reinsmen.
After winning the two juvenile finals with The Sentry and Self Denial in 2003, he went five years without a win before completing a treble with Captain Joy (2YO C&G), Keppel Bay (2YO Fillies) and Skyvalley (3YO Trotters).
He won the inaugural 4YO Mares Final with Kept For Pleasure in 2009 before claiming an upset win with Passions Promise in last year’s 2YO Fillies Final.
Lang’s other drives at this year’s ‘Super Sunday’ fixture include heat winner Shake It Mama, classy four-year-old Flying Pocketlands and improving trotter Lucky Twenty Three with his thoughts on each detailed below.
Lucky Twenty Three (Race 1 No 4): “He’s come good at the right time. His manners are good at present but in saying that, Paramount Geegee has got an awesome record and we might be running for second.”
Shake It Mama (Race 4 No 4): “She only won by a small margin the other night, but I was pleased with the way she did it. She sprinted very quickly at the finish and drawn four, she’s got enough speed to go forward and be close to the leader, where I think you need to be in these good races. She’s not without a chance.”
Rhodium Castle (Race 7 No 8): “She needs to get a good run in transit to be able to win but it’s a very even race the way it’s drawn up and I think any one of a number of fillies are good enough to win if they get the right trip and I think she’s probably in that number.”
Blackjack Bromac (Race 8 No 10): “He went good the other night but the bar’s going to be raised again for this race. Barrier 10, you wouldn’t pick that one if you had the opportunity to pick your barrier, and he’s going to need a lot of luck to figure in the finish.”
Flying Pocketlands (Race 9 No 13): “It’s going to come down to how the race is run. When you draw 13 you need a lot to go your way, but in saying that I’ve got the other two (heat winners, Lady Euthenia and Arctic Fire) drawn out the back with me, which might be of some assistance. She’s definitely good enough to win.”
