Cold Major can lead the field in the Ballarat Pacing Cup - but can he win the race?
Avenel trainer David Aiken admits he faces a tough task to curtail New Zealand champion Terror To Love and a four-pronged Emma Stewart attack in Saturday night’s Petstock Ballarat Pacing Cup.
Aiken will have two runners in the Group 1 2710m Cup, Wartime Sweetheart and Cold Major, starting from gates five and six respectively.
Cold Major has blistering early speed and can cross to the lead, says Aiken.
Once there, in an ideal world, reinsman Josh Aiken would hand up to a Guaranteed or a Terror To Love for the “ideal trip”.
“I’d say Josh would take a sit if Terror To Love came around – that’d be perfect,” Aiken said.
“We crossed Restrepo fairly easily in Sydney. I’d say he’s as fast off the arm as any of those horses off the front.”
Aiken said Cold Major was getting close to a big scalp but admitted beating genuine stars like Guaranteed and Terror To Love would be tough going.
He said Wartime Sweetheart was not going well enough to beat genuine Grand Circuit performers but added the son of Courage Under Fire never disgraced himself.
“Cold Major’s not far off… Wartime Sweetheart just couldn’t get into the race the other night. It’s obviously a big task for him here but he never disgraces himself. He’s always competitive.”
Cold Major finished third in the Group 2 Kevin Newman Cup at Menangle last start behind Chariot King and Restrepo.
Guaranteed has opened $2.2 favourite with TAB fixed odds following today’s barrier draw, last-start Cranbourne Pacing Cup winner Terror To Love $3 second elect.
Philadelphia Man, widely regarded as the X-Factor horse in the cup, is $3.4, while reigning cup champion Restrepo is fourth pick at $8.
Im Corzin Terror is a $41 shot from gate seven, with Beauty Secret and Cold Major next in the market at $51.
Uncle Wingnut, which ran an enormous race in the Cranbourne Pacing Cup to finish fourth, is $61, Wartime Sweetheart is outsider’s odds at $151 and Artoc is cricket score odds at $301 and a whopping $33.43 for the place.
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