Sydney driver Jack Trainor. Photo by Club Menangle
GUN reinsman Jack Trainor must feel like giving up the chase for the premiership after copping another three weeks on the sidelines, courtesy of the stewards this week.
You could never question Trainor’s will-to-win with three wins from his past five drives.
That put him on 122 winners for the season, 17 winners behind Cameron Hart.
But Trainor has chosen to forgo his drives tonight and start a three-week suspension immediately so he can be back to drive in the rich Breeders Challenge finals at the end of the month.
Certainly, there’s no place Trainor would rather be than out there doing battle.
Yet he will still look to add to the 59 winners he has trained as well by harnessing up some good chances at Tabcorp Park Menangle tonight.
The best of those might be Mighty Flying Art ($1.55), who’ll now be driven by Jack Callaghan in Race 2.
Master Catch, a $4 shot in Race 4 will also go close for Trainor and will now be driven Josh Gallagher, who is only just back from suspension himself.
Callaghan has also picked up another outside chance for Trainor in the shape of B K Swy in Race 3 but concedes the $8 shot will have his work cut out coming from the outside of the front line against a talented field which includes Brad Hewitt’s impressive former Kiwi mare Our Cowgirls N Lace ($3), who is chasing her fourth straight win.
Trainor and his good mate Jason Grimson have been the success story of the Sydney scene this year with 136 winners between them from the two stables they share at the Menangle Training Centre.
“I reckon Mighty Flying Art does looks really well-graded tonight and looks like he should get an easy lead and I do expect him to win,” said Trainor.
“I also give Master Catch a great chance.
“He went really well last start when he got caught outside the leader in a 2300m race.
Trainor said he was initially disappointed with B K Swy’s effort in finishing second as favourite behind Fairy Tinkabell at Menangle two weeks ago in the Ladyship Pace.
“But I then looked at the race again and the leader probably went better than expected,” he said.
“She might have a bit of trouble from the draw tonight but I’m pretty sure when she gets the right run, she’ll pay her way in the near future.”
