Greg Sugars.
HE has an amazing strike rate, landing a winner once in every four drives.
And it takes some seriously-talented horseflesh to lure premier reinsman Greg Sugars out of Victoria.
Yet the 40-year-old reinsman, fast closing in on his 4000th career winner, hits Menangle on Saturday night in search of a treble for top Victorian trainer Emma Stewart.
The Narcissist (Race 3) and Uniquely Ideal (Race 4) are likely favourites and look the winners of their challenges.
Yet that pair will probably take a back seat to Stewart’s unbeaten colt Always Hot in Saturday night’s feature the Group 3 $50,000 Club Menangle Simpson Memorial.
While he faces his sternest test so far, up against no less than eight last-start winners, Stewart has suggested Always Hot could be the stable’s next superstar.
“We’ve got a huge opinion of this guy and we always have had, all the way through,” said Stewart.
“He’s just needed time.
“His mum was a bit of a fruit loop, so we haven’t wanted to rush him.
“He’s looking like our next Ride High and you know how much we thought of him.
“He’s as tall as Ride High, but he’s not as big. He’s a more racy type.”
Stewart plans to send Always Hot to Queensland for races like the Rising Sun and Qld Derby.
“His owner Peter Gleeson said we could look at running run him in the TAB Eureka, too, if we think it’s the right thing to do closer to the race,” she said.
“Bay Of Biscay finished second in last year’s Eureka and has shown the right three-year-old can be very competitive.”
Sugars could have had a full book at the Cranbourne Cup meeting on Saturday night but has handled Always Hot in three of his five wins, including a stunning 1:50.9 success at Melton two weeks ago in the $30,000 Caduceus Three-Year-Olds’ Classic.
Drawn wide on the track, Always Hot will need to bring that form to Sydney if he is to prevail.
Among his rivals will be another promising youngster Matt Gregors Boy, who already has two Menangle wins in his five successes from 10 starts.
"This is without doubt his toughest race," said his trainer Jamie Cassar.
“It's a cracking field with a few stars in it.
“That said, I've got no doubt he will be competitive and may even surprise a few.
“If he gets a good even run at them, I'm positive he will let them know he is there.”
