The Emma Stewart team will look to continue their rich vein of form with Philadelphia man in the Vicbred Super Series Final for 3YO boys at Tabcorp Park tonight
As the man with the golden gun told Mr Bond, “I only need one”.
Clayton Tonkin didn’t exactly rehash that quote when spruiking the chances of his pacer Philadelphia Man in tomorrow night’s Group 1 Empire Stallions Vicbred Super Series 3YO Colts & Geldings Final at Melton, but he acknowledged that was the reality.
The Tonkin and Emma Stewart training partnership has been on fire of late, last week the duo capturing the trifecta in the fillies’ Super Series Group 1 final.
“You don’t dream of that happening,” Tonkin admitted.
“You take them when you can, it was a great result.”
This week the team’s focus has turned to putting the polish on just the one feature race runner, Philadelphia Man in tomorrow night’s big race, the Art Major colt taking a four-win streak into the 2240m event.
Chris Alford will take the reins and Tonkin is confident his runner will be in the thick of the action.
From barrier three, Tonkin expects his charge to be proactive early. But that’s not to say he’ll be dead set out to pilot the field.
“Strength is his best asset. If he’s allowed to just stride along he’s a very good stayer,” Tonkin said.
“We’re really happy with him.”
Tonkin predicts Mr Nickel and Keayang Steamer, drawn one and two, will come out humming.
“They’ll probably be keen to both hold a forward spot. We’ll come out strong but ours doesn’t have the most gate speed going around.”
Another big chance in tomorrow night’s headline race has to be the six horse, Metro Mike, who made it four-straight wins with his success at Tabcorp Park last week.
The Tony Dillon-trained, Mark Hayes-driven son of Metropolitan outgunned the heavily backed Macca Kelly and fast-finishing Kickittochris comfortably.
Kickittochris has drawn outside the front row for Kerryn Manning, and given his run last week the Great Western pacer should be in the finish.
Other key runners include Charlie Machsheen, who was inexplicably disappointing last week. He’s surely better than that. And Wagga horse Macca Kelly, who has to overcome an outside back row draw.
