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Having climbed the mountain only two years ago trainer David Aiken is enthused that he will be taking two live chances into his home Inter Dominion.
Aiken joined Trent Masenhelder on RSN 927’s ID18 update to reminisce about Lennytheshark’s 2016 win – “It was a lifetime ambition to win it, we finally did it after a lot of years and it was fantastic” – and plan ahead to this year’s campaign.
Just 107 days out from the December 15 final Aiken was buoyued by his team after both Wrappers Delight and Audi Hare produced wins across the Breeders Crown weekend.
“(Wrappers Delight’s) just doing everything right at the moment,” Aiken said. “We are very happy with him.
“He’s a good bodied horse and he gets through his runs good. Every time I’ve started him I’ve always thought he’s been on the big side, so an Inter Dominion will probably get him a bit fitter than I can get him.”
Wrappers Delight has long had a reputation for being at the top end of his class and the four-year-old looks set to transform that into a Grand Circuit showing in his five-year-old season for owner Domenic Martello and reinswoman Kima Frenning.
But it’s Audi Hare whose advancement has perhaps most surprised, having arrived from New Zealand as a C0 who showed tremendous speed but, only recently, overcome a want to overrace that has opened key doors.
“We’ve sorted that out, since we’ve done that he’s not pulling as hard and has a lot more finish to him now,” Aiken said.
“I can just see he’s got very high speed and if he can settle in the pack somewhere I think he can finish off his races really well. We’ll definitely be putting in a nom for the Inter.”
Aiken is well aware that opportunity knocks for the free for all brigade with some of the topliners sidelined through injury, retired to stud or making a good fist of their American adventures.
“This Inter Dominion is going to be different to past Inter Dominions where the Lennys, Lazaruses, Heavens Rocks, Soho Tribecca – they’re not here this year and probably it’s the young up and coming horses,” Aiken said.
“It’s going to be exciting to see how they get through and match it with the older horses.”
Aiken said both Wrappers Delight and Audi Hare would be at the waterwalker until mid next week, with a potential Kilmore Cup and Pryde’s EasiFeed Victoria Cup tilt in their paths before the Inter Dominion kicks off on December 1.
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