PACING
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EARLIER this month Santastic Princess was forced to share at the Bathurst Paceway when she dead-heated for first place, but when she returns to the same track tonight her Londonderry trainer Billy Muscat is predicting an outright success.
It was the Bathurst Harness Racing Club’s July 9 meeting that saw the thrilling finish as Santastic Princess came from one out and one back on the bell to dead heat with Shes So Foxy.
She started that race as a $14.30 chance, but will no doubt be at shorter odds tonight in the Club Memberships Now Due Three Year Old Fillies Pace (2,130 metres).
“She is going pretty good at the moment. She dead heated two weeks ago up at Bathurst and if there was one more stride in it she would have won it,” Muscat said.
“I am racing her at Bathurst and on Sunday I am taking her to Young as well. She is racing against the fillies in those, which is a bit easier for her.”
While that dead heat at Bathurst was Santastic Princess’ only win from 18 starts so far this season, she has placed on seven occasions for Muscat.
A number of those placings have come against good company at Menangle and Penrith, and not always when racing against her own sex.
She will go from barrier three tomorrow night with Billy Muscat’s son Michael in the gig. They could very well find the lead as the front row does not appear to have a lot of speed.
One of her major threats appears to be the Steve Turnbull trained Artista Lombo, the filly who placed third behind Santastic Princess and Shes So Foxy when they dead heated.
But Santastic Princess is not Muscat’s sole chance at Bathurst tonight, he feels Snap To It is a strong contender in the opening race – the Knickerbocker Hotel Pace (1,730m).
The five-year-old Bettors Delight x Peace Flight gelding is set to go from barrier nine.
“He should win,” Muscat said.
“I’ve only had him for about eight weeks. We gave him two weeks off and then put him in work. His second at Bathurst last week was his first run back.
“The draw won’t worry him. He will wait and go and park and then come over the top of them.
“He’s not that good a horse, but he’s good enough to win.”
Snap To It’s debut race for Muscat was full of merit as he worked three wide without cover and in the end only missed out by a neck to Written In Red.
That was his first run since saluting at Newcastle on March 14 for his previous trainer, getting home in a zippy 28.9 seconds final sectional.
He has won three of his last four starts and, while Muscat is confident of adding another win to that tonight, the trainer knows success is not easy to come by.
“It is hard to win anywhere these days, but we bring some up to Bathurst every week now,” Muscat, who trains a team of 14, said.
“We have had horses all our lives, we won the Gold Crown in Bathurst in 1989 with Woy Woy Karamea.
“I went to Menangle the other day [Monday] and had four winners, a second and a third. I’ve got three in at Menangle [on Tuesday] as well.
“It is really busy – last week we went to the races every day, but this week I hope we can get Friday off. But you have got to put your horses in if you want them to win.”
Tonight’s eight-race meeting gets underway at 5.06pm.