MASTER LAVROS SCHEDULED TO RACE AT ADDINGTON
Top squaregaiter Master Lavros is scheduled to make his race return at Addington on Friday, December 16, after coming through his Rangiora workout last Wednesday.
Master Lavros, scheduled to resume in a $13,000 free-for-all trot over 2600m at Addington on Friday.
“He went nice but didn’t trot great up the straight,” said Overport Lodge trainer Mark Jones.
However, precautionary scans taken of the horse’s injured leg and have come back good.
The plan is to race the giant-sized squaregaiter in the $13,000 mobile 2600m free-for-all on Friday.
Mark crossed from the five gate with Master Lavros to trail stablemate Senorita Margarita in the early stages of the C0 and faster mobile 2000m heat, then moved out to take up the running with 1250m to run.
They held late finisher Letsgotothehop by a neck in a solid 2:33.2, trotting his last 800m in 58.2s and his final 400m in 27.9s without having the removeable hood released.
Safely through Friday’s trot, Master Lavros could possibly fast-track his return to Group One racing by heading to Auckland for the $80,000 National Trot at Auckland on New Year’s Eve.
But it will be a case of assessing his progress over the next week and how he handles his proposed return on Friday.
Meanwhile, 2YO stablemate The Bus, withdrawn from his scheduled race debut at Auckland on Friday night with safety concerns after trying to jump a light shadow, pleased with a bold hit-out there on Saturday morning.
The Bus, missed his scheduled debut on Friday night, but trialled well at Alexandra Park on Saturday morning.
“It was a pain to miss the race but he trialled very well on Saturday morning at the Alexandra Park trials, as did Real Torque,” Mark said.
The Bus, with shadow roll on, showed good gate speed for Mark from the outside eight barrier in the 2YO mobile 1700m pace, leading into the first turn.
He held the Robert Dunn-trained Alta Maestro (2c Art Major-Alta Camilla), who also shaped promisingly, closing strongly from three back for driver Tony Herlihy, running The Bus to a neck, in a 1:59.8 rate.
The Bus a, 2YO Art Major-Rondel Franco colt quickened over his last 800m in a smart 55.8s, quickening over his final 400m in a slick 26.8s.
Real Torque, driven by Mark from the inside of the second row, came from last and unwound strongly late wide for a half-length second to Sires Stakes 3YO Finalist Accumulator in a rating up to 63 mobile 2200m workout.
The Barry Purdon-trained Accumulator (Zac Butcher), who led early, then trailed Laredo Torpedo, held in 2:46.4 (2:01.6 mile rate), the leaders last 800m in 57.4s and closing 400m in 28.2s.
By Jeff Scott