Blaze out to scorch rivals
TASMANIAN trainer John Blacker is hoping his small team that he sent interstate can make an impact over the next three days starting with his talented weight-for-age performer Blaze Forth which lines up at Flemington today.
Blacker also has Silver Road in a benchmark 64 at Bendigo tomorrow and on Monday on the synthetic at Ballarat he has his smart fouryear-old Appraise in a benchmark 58 handicap, and Generalmaintenance in a benchmark 58 over 2100m. Blacker has been forced to campaign his horses interstate owing to the local industry being shut down in April. Last week Premier Peter Gutwein announced the industry could restart on June 13.
“We received some good news this week that we can start trials here in Tassie from next week and that was the only bit of good news we’ve had at home since we were shut down at the start of last month,” Blacker said.
“So we’re hoping the good news can continue over the next three days with the small team we have in Victoria. It’s been a bloody nightmare here in Tassie, but at least we can see a little bit of light at the end of the tunnel with trials allowed from next week.
“Blaze Forth has had one start in Victoria two weeks ago for a midfield finish at Sandown on a heavy track that didn’t suit him, but he should be better off tomorrow at Flemington where the track is expected to be no worse than a soft 5.
“The horse is in really good shape, he’s drawn well and Dwayne Dunn who rode him last time is back on, so we are expecting a good result.”
Silver Road has been nominated for a few races, but shocking barrier draws have prevented him from making the trip across Bass Strait.
“Silver Road has drawn another bad gate [15], but it is a very suitable race for him, so he will just need a bit of luck. Appraise is going extra well and while he is first-up since he just missed a place in Launceston in early March, I would be surprised if he didn’t figure in the money.”
Generalmaintenance has been in Victoria for a month and finished beyond midfield in a 0-58 event over 1620m last week but has a more suitable trip on Monday (2100m).