Chris Alford is likely tonight to crash through an incredible milestone only previously achieved by one Australian – The Puppet himself.
The brilliant Bolinda reinsman sits on 399 wins for season 2018-19 ahead of five drives at Shepparton tonight, which is hosting night two of the TAB Breeders Crown heats featuring the Downbytheseaside two-year-old colts and geldings.
“To get that (many wins) is pretty cool,” Alford said. “It means a lot of driving, a lot of good horses and a lot of racing to get there.”
Alford will have plenty of chances to record that 400th win as he steers the $3.30 favourite Rock On Playboy in the first at 6.03pm and the $4.60 chance Calaquendi in the second at 6.27pm before taking the reins of Be Happy Mach, a $1.65 chance to win the first of the night’s Breeders Crown heats at 8.30pm.
He then rounds out with Do Not Surrender, a $3.70 favourite in the second Breeders Crown heat, and $7 chance Lilnova in the eighth race at 9.27pm.
Talking on his way to tonight’s racing at Shepparton Alford declared Be Happy Mach the horse most likely to bring victory.
Last season he was the first Australasian driver to notch 400 wins, having done so driving With Gusto at Ballarat on July 27, 2018.
He went on to record 456 wins for the season, smashing the previous Australasian record of 388 wins.
While bettering his 2017-18 tally looks a tall order, more milestones look certain with The Puppet only 26 wins off an unprecedented 7000 career wins. Already this season Alford become the first Australasian reinsman to record 100 Group 1 wins when he steered Kyvalley Clichy to victory in his Aldebaran Park Vicbred Super Series trotting final.
