IRISH pacer Meadowbranch DJ has no time for celebrating St Patrick’s Day on Thursday with new trainer John McCarthy confirming the Inter Dominion competitor is ready to resume after two solid trials at Tabcorp Park Menangle. McCarthy has been pleased with both efforts and will now sit down and look for a suitable race.
Meadowbranch DJ last raced on December 4 at Gloucester Park when he finished behind Devendra, however on resumption the son of Real Artist will be racing much weaker opposition. Although he has won 23 races in the United Kingdom, Meadowbranch DJ is assessed as a C1 pacer in Australia.
“I think he is going to do a good job in Sydney, he is lowly assessed and I think he will be best suited to Menangle because he really likes racing over the mile,” McCarthy said.
“I’ve been really happy with his two trials, he just knocked up late in his first trial, the winner broke 1:53 and he wasn’t too far away. On Tuesday I told Todd (McCarthy) to go around 1:54 and let him run through the line which is exactly what happened.”
McCarthy keeps in contact with former trainer Willie Flanagan and confirmed he had received a text message prior to Meadowbranch DJ’s trial on Tuesday.
“I spent some time with the Irish boys in Western Australia and they’re all good guys, Willie sent me a message asking what I expected from the trial on Tuesday and they’re obviously keeping a close eye on what he is doing here in Sydney.
“On the times he is running in the trials he is going to get through to metropolitan class, he can get a bit keen in his races but if I can keep a lid on him between runs I think he should do a really good job.”
Meanwhile stablemate Cyclone Kate is back in work and will be aimed towards the upcoming Carousel series. Cyclone Kate won the Group 2 Carnival Stakes on Miracle Mile afternoon and McCarthy admits he will be forced to keep her away from the races prior to a Carousel heat.
“If she wins another race she won’t be eligible to compete in the Carousel so I’ll have to get her fit at the trials, she didn’t have long off so she didn’t lose too much condition.
“It looks a pretty good series for her but I know Belinda and Luke are aiming Kept Under Wraps at the Carousel so like always there will be plenty of depth.”
Lord Zin Zan is still spelling after his encouraging campaign. The four-year-old pacer finished second behind Have Faith In Me in the Chariots Of Fire and MCCarthy has now set his sights on the Breeders Crown.
“I never ask too much of my horses at four, all of the good horses I’ve had success with previously I’ve been patient with at four, I think if you give them an easy season and they have the ability, it helps them develop into a Grand Circuit performer.”
“I was mindful Lord Zin Zan had suffered from a leg injury and while everything was fine with him during this campaign, I thought if I gave him some time off now it would ensure that the leg doesn’t become an issue later on.”
Harness Racing NSW (HRNSW) is the controlling body for harness racing in New South Wales with responsibility for commercial and regulatory management of the industry including 31 racing clubs across the State. HRNSW is headed by an industry-appointed Board of Directors and is independent of Government.
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