Shane Sanderson will need a hint of luck heading into the TAB Smoken Up Sprint this Saturday at Melton.
The Charlton trainer has two runners in the race, with Vanquish Stride and Sahara Tiger both lining up in the $50,000 feature.
Sahara Tiger has drawn in barrier three and will need everything to go his way, according to Sanderson.
“He looks up against it from the barrier draw,” Sanderson said.
“Probably to feature in that sort of race he needs to draw well and he hasn’t. He will run an honest race, but it will be tough from the draw for him.”
Sahara Tiger is no stranger to overcoming the odds. In April’s Mildura Cup, the gelding was able to rally late to storm over a short-priced favourite to win at long odds of $126.
Sanderson’s other runner Vanquish Stride last won on June 24 in the Waste Sense Blacks A Fake Free For All at a cool $26.
He has not had a lot of luck with the barrier gods, drawing a wide gate five.
“He likes a short trip,” Sanderson said.
“He’s been going well in the grade, but he will need to find the mark. I think he will be a long way back.
“I think both horses will need a lot of luck in this race.”
Sanderson’s daughter Abby will sit in the sulky for Sahara Tiger, while son Ryan will take the reins of Vanquish Stride.
The Sanderson stable also has the first emergency in Perfect Stride.
The TAB Smoken Up Sprint is the last major lead-up to October 14’s Pryde’s EasiFeed Victoria Cup, with the barrier draw for that feature to take place Tuesday morning on Sky Racing’s The Morning Line.
The Andy Gath-trained Catch A Wave is favourite for the Smoken Up from inside the back row, with Scott Ewen’s Bulletproof Boy the second elect from gate two.
The race will be one of Saturday night’s headline events alongside the Victoria Derby and Oaks heats, with Ryan Phelan, Adam Hamilton, Bronte Nieuwenburg and Gareth Hall to head-up the TrotsVision coverage alongside caller Dan Mielicki.
