David Aiken will be hoping for a feature race double on Sunday.
David Aiken will be hoping for a massive afternoon this Sunday at Wangaratta.
My High Expectations will provide much interest when he comes back from Group 1 level to take on the Frank Dimentz Jewellers Wangaratta Trotters Cup.
After a brave fifth in the Glenferrie Farm Challenge on Inter Dominion day, he will take a leap up in distance and a step down in class this weekend.
“He was really good; he had a bit of ground to make up down the back and that sort of took his sprint away in the straight,” Aiken said.
“He was really good for that sort of company, if he had have got three pegs early he probably would have run second; he’s very versatile.”
The six-year-old was coming off the back of a strong campaign; he was a winner of the Geelong Trotters Cup the start before and the Ouyen Trotters Cup earlier in his preparation.
In fact, since coming to Aiken, My High Expectations has won six of 14 and his worst placed finish was his fifth last time out.
“He hasn’t won a metropolitan race yet and these Country Cups just help him progress and mature through his grades. I know he has 30 metres on Sunday but he likes the journey, I’m pretty happy with how he is going,” Aiken said.
“It’s a half-mile track and we have to give Triumphant Monarch a start so it won’t be easy because he is a nice horse but my guy really enjoys the extended trip.”
The Avenel-based trainer will also be hoping for further success with Composed in the Wangaratta Stockfoods and Farm Supplies Pacing Cup.
He is yet to win in 17 tries since August however Aiken believes he is getting into the right type of race to be a winning hope again.
“I was happy that he drew the front (6) because he could have been way out the back with the way the country assessment is,” he said.
“He hasn’t won for a little while but he is racing pretty well. He has run that many seconds in Country Cups he deserves to win one; he’s not far off winning.
“You have to be a bit more aggressive on those smaller tracks, I’d say he would have to go forward but Chris (Alford) is a great driver so he will work it out.”
The first race will kick off at 5.58pm with the 2013 Wangaratta Stockfoods and Farm Supplies Pacing Cup to be run at 8.33pm.