Lochinvar Art will make a highly-anticipated return to the trials at his home track of Shepparton tonight.
The two-time Victorian Horse of the Year will be driven by star reinsman Nathan Jack in the first of seven events this evening.
Trainer Rodney Lakey told thetrots.com.au that Lochinvar Art would just be given a quiet hit-out, with plans to include at least one more trial before a return to the races in the coming weeks.
The seven-time Group 1 winner hasn’t raced since February’s A.G. Hunter Cup and has battled a hoof issue since then.
Lakey joined SEN Track’s TrotsLife on July 19 to provide an update on the son of Modern Art.
“His coat is coming out, he looks good, he’s just a weapon around the stables. He knows he’s good and good racehorses find a way,” Lakey said.
“It’s all a guessing game for everyone at this stage, but he literally shows no signs of anything that wouldn’t suggest he’ll just come back to the Lochinvar Art that we know.
“I see he’s about 8-1 for the Inter Dominion and I think that’s a fair estimate for where he is at the moment. He’s a great horse – one of the best in the country, if not the best – and all going well he’ll make it back to what he’s capable of.”
Tonight’s trial is scheduled for 6pm.
TRIAL FIELD
2190m
1 LADY OF THE ARTS (D.AIKEN/J.AIKEN)
2 NEW YORKER (S.O’DONOGHUE & R.BARTLEY/R.BARTLEY)
3 JETS ART (G.LYON)
4 HIRANYA (C.TURNBULL/A.TURNBULL)
5 ANIMAL (R.JACK/C.LEIJEN)
6 LOCHINVAR ART (R.LAKEY/N.JACK)
