CLASSY former Kiwi pacer Mach Shard might be an entrée dish, but he’s still good enough to upstage some star Victorians in Friday night’s $80,000 Group 2 Kilmore Cup (2690m).
The powerhouse NSW-based Team McCarthy expects to have at least three Victoria Cup runners and Mach Shard is the first of them to be sent south. It’s fair to say he’s the stable’s third stringer.
“We’ll have three in the Cup, possibly even four,” Luke McCarthy said. “Expensive Ego, Spirit Of St Louis, Mach Shard and maybe even old A Gs White Socks.
“I think Expensive Ego is our best chance, ahead of Spirit If St Louis, Mach Shard and A Gs White Socks.”
Expensive Ego resumed from a long spell with a slick Menangle win last Saturday night. He probably won’t race again before the Group 1 Victoria Cup at Melton on October 8.
“We might just settle for a strong (Menangle) trial instead of another race with him,” McCarthy said.
“Spirit Of St Louis is just about ready to go again. We toyed with taking him to Kilmore this week, but will wait another week and run him at Menangle instead on Saturday week.
“A Gs White Socks will be in that race against Spirit Of St Louis at Menangle so if he was to come out and go really well, we’d probably take him down (to Melton) as well.”
So, what about Mach Shard?
“This looks a really nice race for him,” McCarthy said. “He’s back from a spell, but he’s very forward. He’s raring to go.
“Not much went right for him in those big Queensland races, but his form heading into them was terrific.
“He’s come back really well. He’s as good as we’ve had him, I think.
“The long trip and the nice draw (gate three) will really suit him. I think he’ll be right in the finish.”
Friday night’s feature will shake-up Victoria Cup betting, especially with Emma Stewart and Clayton Tonkin stars like Honolua Bay (gate 11) and Like A Wildfire (nine) in action from back row draws.
In a lovely touch, just days after losing his superstar pacer Lochinvar Art, David Moran returns from suspension with the pick-up drive on Honolua Bay.
Stewart and Tonkin’s stable driver Mark Pitt will take the reins on Like A Wildfire.
The other key Kilmore players are: Torrid Saint (gate one), Max Delight (two), Supreme Dominator (four) and Rock N Roll Doo (five).
In other stable news, McCarthy confirmed forgotten Victoria Derby contender Cantfindabettorman was right on target for Saturday week’s heats after a sparkling first-up win at Menangle last Saturday.
“Don’t sell him short,” he said. “Leap To Fame is one of the big guns and Cantfindabettorman beat him in the Redcliffe Derby and only went down a neck in the Queensland Derby.
“The form looks good, he won really first-up and we think he’s come back an even better horse for the break we were able to give him.”
Adam Hamilton is a paid contributor writing on harness racing for News Corp.
