Lochinvar Art will have to overcome the extreme draw over the sprint trip if he’s to prevail in his highly-anticipated return to the races this Saturday night.
The reigning two-time Victorian Horse of the Year has drawn the outside of the back row for the Hylands My Lightning Blue Free For All at Melton, which will be his first start since February’s A.G. Hunter Cup.
The seven-time Group 1 winner has been working away for months at Lochinvar Lodge in Kialla and has readied for his comeback run with two trials at Shepparton in recent weeks.
His latest performance was brilliant, with the six-year-old thrashing his rivals by 30m with a 56sec last half.
Nathan Jack partnered Lochinvar Art in both trials and has been booked to take the drive this Saturday night at Melton.
He will clash with some top open class rivals, including Joe Pace’s Supreme Dominator (barrier 10), Julie Douglas-trained Torrid Saint (six) and Andy Gath’s Tango Tara (seven).
Lochinvar Art endured an injury setback since his last start early in the year, but all issues appear to be behind him as trainer Rod Lakey and the team get set to tackle some of the sport’s big features in coming months.
Emerging superstar Catch A Wave is also back at the races this Saturday night, with Gath’s gun three-year-old to start from inside the back row in the TAB Vicbred Championship heat.
Catch A Wave set tongues wagging with a scintillating trial at Melton last week and has been thrown in for his first start since winning the Group 1 APG Vic Gold Bullion 3YO Colts and Geldings Final during May.
October’s Victoria Derby is one of the major goals this campaign for the winner of nine of 10 career starts and more than $290,000 in prizemoney.
The Group 3 APG Vic Gold Sovereign finals – for the three-year-old pacing boys and girls – as well as the Group 3 Hip Pocket Coulter Crown for the trotters are among the features this weekend at Melton, while the late Bill Glover, Max Agnew and Rob Gaylard will all be honoured with memorial races during the meeting.