GOING from Bathurst to compete in Sydney’s sporting arenas is a challenge no matter what code you are involved in, but Bathurst’s Peter Trevor-Jones knows that sort of test can lead to an improvement in form.

He has seen it happen for both his son Ben, who plays in the Sydney Grade Cricket competition, and for a seven-year-old mare he owns and trains called Ima Gucci Girl.

Trevor-Jones had thought that Ima Gucci Girl’s best days may have been behind her, but a decision to take her to Harness Racing NSW’s headquarters at Menangle Park has seen her improve.

She has posted three wins there already this year and was beaten home by a short half head in a free for all late last month.

Ben has long been involved in cricket, but is enjoying a breakthrough season for Sydney University. He made an unbeaten 63 last weekend to help the club’s second grade side into the grand final.

“They say you have got to keep taking your horses down there [Menangle], like anything, if you are racing them in that strong company they will step up,” Trevor-Jones said.

“I think it toughens them up, there is nowhere to hide down there.

“You take your horses to Menangle to improve and since Ben has gone to Sydney he’s improved too, he has grown two legs down there.

“He has made the first grade side, he made a first grade 50 and he has kept in first grade for one of the strongest clubs.

“He’s worked hard for it though, he’s earned every bit of success he’s got.”

While Ben will be in action against Manly-Warringah in this weekend’s grand final, Ima Gucci Girl will be chasing another success story tonight on her home track.

According to the trainer, winning at Bathurst since the new track opened last October has become a prospect which is almost as tough as saluting at Menangle.

“This new track is pretty hard, it really sorts them out, there is nowhere to hide here either,” he said.

Ima Gucci Girl heads into tonight’s Shannon Springs Pace (2,260 metres) on the back of a failure at Menangle, placing last in a field of 10 after starting as a $3.90 chance.

But Trevor-Jones said that run should be ignored. His mare is still very much a threat tonight.

“Until that run last Friday she had been in unbelievable touch,” he said.

“I don’t know what it was, she has been checked out and everything is okay. I guess I will just put it down to a bad night, I can’t find a reason for it.

“They went 27 [seconds] up the back and 27 seconds home, so she was never going to win it from there, but she should have done better.”

The Art Major x Rosa Mundi mare has drawn barrier 11 for tonight’s race, but the trainer believes that will not be a big hindrance. He has smart reinsman Mat Rue in the gig, a man who has proven himself at Group level.

“Matty actually drove her in her first start when she beat [stablemate] Beetson,” Trevor-Jones said in reference to his 2010 Gold Crown winner suffering an upset loss. “Mat jumped in the gig and knocked him off at 50-1.

“She is a pretty consistent one for me, she always gives everything she’s got. That’s been her trademark all her life.”

That race is the fourth on tonight’s card of eight, the first of which is set to jump at 6.02pm at the Bathurst Paceway.