Adam Rudd is confident Bennie And The Jets can make an impact in the Group 1 Great Southern Star final, despite being an outsider in the odds and rankings ahead of Saturday night’s prestigious series.
“Some people think I’m mad stepping him up this far, but I firmly believe that if he hadn’t made any mistakes in his four runs this prep, he’d be undefeated,” Rudd said.
“I expect him to trot and be competitive. I do believe he’s an open-class horse.”
The six-year-old, rated 57, is well-suited to the intense format of heats and finals on the same night.
“I reckon he’ll thrive on having two runs in the one day,” Rudd said.
If Bennie And The Jets, a gelding out of Ugly Betty, is to qualify for the final, managing his recovery during the short window between races will be a key focus for Rudd.
“I’ve been thinking about this a lot,” he said. “We’ll try to rehydrate him as much as we can and give him a little bit of feed.
“We need to keep him happy as well. It’s definitely unique and very different. It’s exciting.”
Although Bennie And The Jets has earned just over $50,000 since moving from New Zealand and is at triple-figure odds, Rudd believes anything is possible.
“It’s the old Steven Bradbury effect—anything can happen,” he said. “We’ll need a lot of luck to make the final, but it’s possible. There are a lot of superstars in the race, and we’re well aware of that.”
Tasmyn Potter is set to drive the squaregaiter in the first heat. Inter Dominion winner, The Locomotive is set to start as a short-priced favourite after drawing barrier one.
The Group 1 Yabby Dam Farms Great Southern Star final is scheduled for 9:45 pm, as part of a massive Sportsbet A.G. Hunter Cup night.
PICTURE: HARNESS RACING NEW ZEALAND