Bathurst Gold Crown Carnival: Russell Jack has four chances to win a two-year-old trophy

The Lemnos-based trainer will seek glory in both two-year-old finals of the annual Bathurst Harness Racing Club carnival - the Gold Crown and the Gold Tiara.

They are finals he has tasted success in before with Albert Terrill having won the 2004 Gold Crown Final, while he saluted in the 1992 Gold Tiara decider aboard Sheza Lobell and three years later again took out the fillies feature aboard Yeronga Songbird.

Jack is the first trainer to qualify three runners for the Group 1 Gold Tiara final since Peter Manning did so in 2004 with Just Hope, Captains Queen and Shez Bettors Babe all advancing after last Wednesday night's heats.

While Manning did not find success back then as Rosepenna, Isabelle Lombo and Show Girl Lombo ran seventh, eighth and ninth respectively, 17 years on Jack is hoping for better.

Though he finds it hard to compare his current hopefuls to his past carnival champions, Jack rates heat winners Just Hope and Captains Queen as genuine contenders.

Just Hope won her heat in impressive all-the-way fashion, finishing 16.1 metres clear of her nearest rival, while Captains Queen swooped after travelling in the death.

"It's pretty hard to line them up, the ones I had were a long time ago. Two of them were really good horses Yeronga Songbird and Albert Terrill, you know they were outstanding," he said.

"But I think Just Hope, she looks very good.

"Captains Queen, she went very good, she was the only one that sat outside them. Her form is really good, she came from a long way back at Albury too and raced around them and won

"She's pretty versatile, she can sit in and come from a fair way back or she can sit outside them."

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As for this year's $100,000 Gold Crown Final for two-year-old colts and geldings, Jack's chances rest with Nineteenth Man.

Having placed third on debut at Albury on March 2, he was a $9 chance for his 1,730 metres heat on Friday night.

He was shuffled back to the rear after going from barrier seven, but with just over 400m to go driver Amanda Turnbull guided him forward on a three-wide move.

Nineteenth Man showed his toughness as he found the lead and went on to win by a half neck, his finish surprising Jack.

"He went very good, he came from last. He was actually last at the 400 and I was giving him no hope, but he finishes off pretty good," he said.

"He did the same at Albury, he ran third behind Captains Queen but he got held up. If he had of been able to sort of track her up he might have even beaten her I think, so he's alright.

"I don't know how strong the field for that one [heat] was, but I think he'll go pretty good in the final."

As well as hoping for another Gold Crown Carnival Trophy for his collection, Jack would love to find success with one of his two-year-olds to reward owners Ros and Terry Cluse.

"They own a lot of horses, they are the main owners here," Jack said.

"They owned About Time, he ran second there about three or four years ago. They own half of Just Hope and they own all of the other two."

The barrier draw for the Gold Crown and Gold Tiara Finals will be conducted on Monday night.

"The barrier draws can be the difference between winning and losing of course," Jack said.

"We can only hope, so far it's been good but it's next Saturday night is when it really counts."

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