Carter’s happy and Cran and Chrissie are happy, so it’s a case of bring on the weekend for the Kentuckiana Lodge team.
Carter is thrilled with Krug and Remember Me who have both settled into their temporary base at Menangle very well ahead of their first starts in Sydney on Saturday night.
At home base, Cran and Chrissie have been pleased with the work of Suntan and Trixton Time who both step out at Addington on Friday night.
Suntan comes into race 8 on the back of a tidy third in a fast 1.53.1 mile at Nelson.
Closing in on her peak fitness now, the filly looks hard to beat for driver Ricky May.
“Her last start was good, she’s run some time and the winner is quite a smart colt,” Cran said.
“The trip away has done her the world of good, she has tightened up really well since she has been home.”
“Her work suggests she will be hard to beat.”
The ultra-consistent Trixton Time starts in race 4 with Sarah O’Reilly in the cart.
From barrier 1 the trotter should get every chance to go another very honest race.
“He is a wee bit of a professional placegetter, but you can’t knock his efforts,” Cran said.
“He is in form, has the draw and the driver for there to be no excuses.”
Just twenty-four hours later Remember Me will make her Australian debut in the J L Raith Memorial at Menangle.
Carter could not be happier with the filly heading into the event.
“She has settled in great," he said.
“The weather hasn’t been too hot this week, it has been a bit like it would be on a warm day at home so that has helped.”
“Her work has been very good, she hasn’t missed a beat and she has been feeling very well.”
Remember Me has been rated the second favourite by the Aussie bookmakers for the mile event.
That could be due to her barrier 9 draw for her driver and former Kentuckiana Lodge team member Jack Trainor.
“It is hard to know exactly how she rates against the Aussie fillies," Carter said.
“We can only go on her form at home, her work and our opinion of her.”
“And going by that she is ready to run a very good race.”
Krug has also copped the same visitor’s draw in barrier 9 in his mile free-for-all assignment.
Though he is clearly the class horse of the field and has been rated the favourite, where he ends up in the running line is set to have a big impact on his chances.
“There is quite a bit of speed inside him so he might have to settle a bit further back than you would like.”
“That makes it hard for any horse, but in saying that he is a class animal and he will be hitting the line hard.”
“We are expecting him to put in a very good performance, this is an important race to get him ready for the Chariots Of Fire qualifiers.”
Jack Trainor also takes the reins behind Krug.
Krug races at 8.52pm NZ Time and Remember Me starts at 10.15pm NZ Time.
