Big Saturday night for Stanley on both sides of the Murray

Burrumbeet trainer Michael Stanley is in for a massive 20 minutes on Saturday night.

Family favourite Rackemup Tigerpie goes around in the Group 3 Terang Co-Op Pacing Cup (2680m) at 9.15pm and then in one of the biggest moments of his career, Stanley will have Rock N Roll Doo in the Group 1 $250,000 Cordina Chicken Farms Chariots Of Fire (1609m) at Menangle at 9.33pm.

Stanley has driven each in the majority of their starts, but on this occasion he’ll be looking on.

He’ll be in Sydney to watch Luke McCarthy take the reins of Rock N Roll Doo for the second week in a row, while back in Victoria Stanley has given Anthony Butt the steer on Rackemup Tigerpie.

As special as Rackemup Tigerpie is for Stanley, there was never any question as to whether he would be making the trip to Menangle to join his father Ian, who has been looking after the four-year-old across the border.

It was a no-brainer.

“If you can’t go and watch your horse in the Chariots Of Fire you might as well give training away,” he said.

Stanley believes Rackemup Tigerpie has a big show of getting the night off to a winning start and adding to his Hamilton Pacing Cup victory earlier this campaign.

That was the seven-year-old’s first win in more than two years after a battle with illness and confirmed there is plenty left in the tank.

Stanley was particularly pleased with his last-start sixth to Like A Wildfire in The Pure Steel at Melton on February 5 when he made up late ground from last on the home turn to get within 6.7m of the winner.

“It was a super run,” he said.

“We’ve been trending in the right direction.

“He’s been getting better and better at home all the time.”

Stanley says the Terang Cup looms as an interesting race, with potentially a question mark over runners such as Kimble, Highway To Heaven, Demon Delight and Bettor Be The Bomb backing up off a hard-run Ararat Cup on Sunday.

“If there’s a lot of pressure on over the 2680m, he’ll really see it out,” he said.

“The trip really suits him. I’m looking forward to it.”

Stanley said Rock N Roll Doo had come on well since his tough win in the Group 2 Paleface Adios Stakes (1609m) in 1:51.2min to secure a berth in the Chariots Of Fire.

“His recovery has been fantastic. He hasn’t missed a beat. He’s been really bright. His trackwork’s been really good.”

Stanley expects a completely different story to the Paleface Adios in which the two favourites drew the inside and there was no pressure mid-race, allowing Rock N Roll Doo to move forward and sit outside the leader.

He said with more runners likely to be looking for a forward role, it was difficult to see where Rock N Roll Doo would settle from the outside draw.

“We still haven’t seen him in a hotly contested race coming off the speed. Stalking a genuine pace without doing a lot of work might suit him,” he said.

Menangle has been a happy hunting ground for Stanley.

Soho Nolita won the Group 1 2018 APG 2YO fillies’ final, Bar Room Banta claimed last year’s Group 1 NSW Breeders Challenge 3YO colts and geldings final and Soho Tribeca was the closest of thirds in the 2018 Miracle Mile.

Maybe this will be another special night for Stanley – on both sides of the Murray.