Trots Centre: Trick or treat? Which Majestuoso will we see tonight?

“Brilliant, but” is a line Kate Gath will be hoping to hear much less of as she unleashes prodigiously talented Majestuoso for the start of a new campaign at Ballarat tonight.

The winner of 11 of his 24 starts has had a career littered with both jaw-dropping moments and mis-steps, with the latter plaguing his last campaign when every run was accompanied with negative stewards’ notes, having ‘broke under pressure’, ‘out of position at start’, ‘broke in score up’ or ‘raced roughly under pressure’.

But Gath said she was “looking forward” to tonight when Majestuoso returns from a five-month lay-off in the Active Electrical Trot, which streams at 8.05pm on Trots Vision.

“He’s got that x-factor, he’s able to do things that a lot of horses can’t do and he’s able to win from positions that most horses can’t,” Gath told Trots Talk.

“He can be his own worst enemy at times, but hopefully the worst is behind him. He’s been working very well, so I expect him to run very well this week, although barrier 12 doesn’t make it easy.

“You never want to get too far ahead with him, he’s the sort of horse who can bring you back to earth pretty quickly.”

With trainer Andy Gath after having had his first three starts for Ricky Alchin, Majestuoso had a trouble riddled two-year-old season, but followed up with an outstanding three-year-old campaign, winning eight of 11.

“I thought we were really progressing well at the end of his three-year-old (season) when he won the Victoria Derby, he started doing things right, but then last prep he probably went back to the way he was prior to that and probably didn’t put his best foot forward and certainly not his manners either,” Gath said.

“At home he seems to be working as well as he ever has and I’m hoping this time he has matured a little bit.”

He’ll likely have to be mistake free to salute first-up at Ballarat tonight, with a quality field contesting the trot for those rated 70 to 100.

Among that number is Imsettogo, who stole the spotlight in last week’s star-studded Yabby Dam Racing Trot, while Sammy Showdown, My Skypocket and Ronald J are just a portion of the talent on display and a lot for Majestuoso to overcome from his gate 12 draw.

“Because he’s the horse that he is, he can win from those difficult positions,” Gath said. “He’s so fast. I’m probably more confident with him than a lot of others, because (of that).

“You always need to find a tiny bit of luck in running. Obviously Majestuoso’s going to need to put his best foot forward manners wise, he’s certainly not without a winning chance, but if Imsettogo finds the front she’s going to be very, very hard to beat. It just depends how much work she has to do and if she does get there.”

Gath will also be partly dependant on the pace set by others in tonight’s Eureka Concrete 3YO Pace, where she will steer recent addition to Andy Gath’s stable Pacifico Dream from gate nine.

“He’ll improve on what he did first up. We didn’t trial him and probably just told on him a little bit late in his first-up run,” she said.

“He’s been working well and I expect him to strip a little bit fitter this week. It’s quite a good little race and it definitely won’t be easy once again from the second row draw. 

“Sahara Sirocco definitely won’t get it as easy this week, Santa Casa Beach was pretty impressive first-up and is a pretty nice horse. Obviously two starts ago Sonny Weaver got home really well and was a real eye-catcher. There are multiple horses in that race – like Firerockfireroll – that can really run. It’s no easy task and quite a strong little field, but I think (Pacifico Dream) will run well.”

TALKING TROTS ON SENTRACK:

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