Trainer double dipping

WESLEY Vale trainer Glenn Stevenson will take two of his stable tenants to the races in Launceston tonight and he says he will be surprised if he left the course without at least one winner.

Stevenson will saddle up Killin Falls in the open handicap over 1400m (race 3) and newcomer Jackson James in the opening event, a maiden over 1200m.

Killin Falls started one of the favourites in last season’s Devonport Cup (1880m) after impressively winning the Sheffield Cup (1650m), which is the main lead-up race.

The gelding opened this preparation with an eye-catching third to Liffeybeau and Fragment in an open handicap over 1200m three weeks ago, in which he was beaten less than a half-length.

“I couldn’t be happier with Killin Falls’ work and condition since his first-up run,” Stevenson said.

“The horse has come on in leaps and bounds so naturally I will be expecting him to run a big race on Wednesday night.”

Jackson James has had only one start for a luckless fifth of 13 behind Evil In Me in a maiden over 1200m two weeks ago. His debut effort followed a trial win at Longford over 700m in which he shared the lead to the home turn before drawing clear to win by two lengths.

“Jackson James has been a work in progress but this prep he has really knuckled down to being a racehorse and while he still has a bit to learn I am more than happy with his progress leading up to this race on Wednesday night,” Stevenson said.

“If the race is run at an honest tempo then he will be right in it at the finish.” HOBBY trainer Sarah Cotton was elated when her promising mare Evil In Me saluted in a maiden in Launceston two weeks ago, and she is hoping for a similar result tonight.

Evil In Me will line up in a strong class one handicap over 1200m and while her fouryear-old daughter of Turffontein is fit and well, the trainer admits the opposition in this assignment is a lot tougher that it was in her maiden.

“Had my mare run in the class one over 1200m last week I would have almost declared her to win, but this week’s edition is a lot different,” Cotton said. “Gee Gee Secondover is top weight in the race and he looks to have come back bigger and better than ever from his successful two-year-old season, if his trial win in Hobart recently is any indication.

“But my mare is race fit and she has proven to be a bit of a surprise packet.

“But she will have to be at her best to win.”