Asoka winning at Tabcorp Park Melton.
Alison Chisholm believes Asoka’s fourth placing behind The Good Times last Saturday night was the six-year-old gelding’s best run in recent memory.
“He’s performed well but I’ve always felt there’s been a bit left,” trainer-driver Chisholm said.
“He tends to want to just race the horse next to him. The other night he tried really hard the whole way and it was probably the best run I can remember from him.
“You can’t insult him. He’s quite a playful horse. Everything’s a bit of a game to him and he’s real character.
“If he had his mind on being a real racehorse then he could have won more races.”
Asoka is a 14-time winner from 79 starts with prizemoney of $141,081. This season he’s won two from 23 and placed 14 times for $32,894.
“He’s always been pretty consistent,” Chisholm said.
Asoka has been racing forward of late but Chisholm said she would elect to slot in behind the speed it the early pacemakers went lickety-split in Friday night's second heat of the Tabcorp Park Melton Cup (Race 7)
“A lot depends on the tempo of a race. He appreciates following a good tempo. I think from the draw (gate six) we can roll forward.
“Last time we got caught out over the 1700m but it’s a lot different over the 2200m.”
Chisholm’s other runner on Friday night will be Apollo Thirteen in the Empire Stallions 4YO Pace.
Apollo Thirteen has won five of his 20 starts.
“I’ve only had him for about three weeks and I haven’t gotten him 100 per cent. I thought this would be a nice race for him but he’s a work in progress,” she said.
