Major Star to shine in VSS decider

Kiwi conditioner Brent Mangos hopes to add to his Aussie trophy cabinet with Major Star in Friday night's Vicbred Super Series Final for juvenile colts and geldings.

If many battles make up a war then visiting Kiwi horseman Brent Mangos has drawn first blood ahead of this Friday night’s Vicbred Super Series Final for two-year-old colts and geldings.

The man behind Major Star, Mangos was thrilled when his Pukekohe pacer landed gate four and a terrific tactical advantage over chief rivals Border Control (9) and Guaranteed (10) this weekend.

But after ambling out in each of three runs to date, Mangos is eager for Major Star to exploit the ideal draw and stay in front of his semi-final foes in the $100,000 Group 1 Final at Tabcorp Park.

“He (Major Star) just didn’t show the real gate speed I thought he had last week,” Mangos said.

“He just lacked a bit of experience there but from the draw this weekend we’ll be going forward again, it just depends on how much petrol we spend trying to find the front.

“With him having that experience last week, I’ll get him up to the mobile a bit earlier on Friday night and hopefully he flies the start the way I think he can.

“Having said that he doesn’t have to lead to be a winning chance but it’s obviously better if he’s in front of the other two (Guaranteed and Border Control).”

A convincing winner over Keayang Starzzz and fellow Vicbred aspirant Lennytheshark in his first Australian outing, Major Star only enhanced his reputation when finishing second to Border Control last Friday night.

So despite the racetrack exposure and associated ringcraft he spots all but one of his adversaries this weekend, Mangos is confident his son of Art Major is well up to the challenge at hand.

“He’s got plenty of speed and plenty of stamina, so what he lacks in race-day experience he more than makes up for with raw ability.”

Major Star has been the best backed backed horse for Friday night’s most anticipated Vicbred Super Series Final with TAB Sportsbet, wound in from $4.40 to $3.40 within hours of markets opening.

Fellow Kiwi star Border Control ($3.30 to $2.70) has also been the medium of significant support while Guaranteed has remained solid on the third line of betting at $4.40 throughout.