A change of format to the Brisbane Inter Dominion will ensure in-form Victorian pacer Cantfindabettorman tackles the iconic series for the second successive year.
Peter Walsh, who trains the pacer with wife Isabel, said cutting back from three rounds of qualifying heats to two and running them all at the same venue has convinced them to head north for the series starting on July 5.
“It’s not just our guy, but I think the modern horse in general isn’t made for the four races in a fortnight anymore,” he said. “The breed has changed; they’ve got faster but aren’t as tough as they were.”
Cantfindabettorman, a winner of 21 races and almost $450,000, stormed into near favourite for last December’s Sydney Inter Dominion after a brilliant Chris Alford drive saw him toy with his rival in the opening round of heats at Newcastle
Then things derailed.
“He got crook on the second night at Bathurst and it was a battle after that,” Walsh said.
“It was a huge ask last year, especially for interstate horses. He had to travel up from Victoria, run at Newcastle on night one, then travel to Bathurst a few days later and then to Menangle a few days after that.
“There’s no travel between heats this time with the whole series at Albion Park and, as much as I love tradition, this switch from three heats back to two just makes sense now.
“It’s certainly the reason we’ll give it another crack, that and the increased prize money for the heats, despite the fact you know you’ll be taking on a champion in Leap To Fame.”
Walsh, a veteran of the game with experience training in the US, rates Leap To Fame in a league of his own.
“He’s the best pacer I’ve seen outside of North America. He’s something else,” he said.
Cantfindabettorman has returned from a spell with two wins from as many starts, the latest at Wagga in slick time last Friday.
The gelding is looking for a hat-trick from gate 12 in the opening race at Melton on Saturday night.
“He seems really well. We’ve been pleased with both runs, but it’ll be another test, especially from barrier 12 in a pretty nice field,” Walsh said.
Young gun Ryan Sanderson has driven Cantfindabettorman in both runs this campaign, but Alford returns to take the reins on Saturday.
Cantfindabettorman, who started his career in NZ before a successful stint with Luke McCarthy in NSW, has won six of his 17 starts for Team Walsh.
Walsh said emerging three-year-old Crocodile Socks may accompany Cantfindabettorman to Brisbane.
“We like him. He’s only had nine starts and ran fifth in the Breeders Crown final last season,” he said.
“He had a good break and returned to win well at that same Wagga meeting at Cantfindabettorman last week. If we’re happy with his next couple of runs, we’ll take him up for the Derbys.”