Phoenix ready to fly as all roads lead to Vicbred series

Chris Svanosio continues to take a slow and steady approach with star trotter Arcee Phoenix, but things will soon heat up for one of the state’s brightest squaregaiters.

The Romsey horseman has freshened the four-year-old since his runner-up placing in the inaugural Great Square in Queensland during early July and has him back at the races this Saturday night at Melton.

He’ll line-up in a hot Betavet Trot drawn the back row against Anton Golino’s top mares Courmayeur, Egret, Revelstoke and Visionary, but will likely start favourite in the opening leg of the Quaddie.

And, importantly, Svanosio is confident of a forward showing.

“He’s had a trial last week at Melton and I was quite happy, and he’s heading towards the Vicbred series,” Svanosio said.

“It’s a good race… we’re going to need a few things to go our way to be able to get into it, but I’m pretty happy with him. If I can somehow work out a bit of a trip and get up into the action, he should go pretty good.”

Vicbred Super Series heats for the four-year-old trotters will be held on September 7 at Bendigo, with qualifiers progressing to the Group 1 finals at Melton on September 16.

While the Queensland Inter Dominion series in December is unlikely, Svanosio said Arcee Phoenix would tackle a Breeders Crown feature during November.

“After that, he’s really going to have to step up to be racing the free-for-allers all the time, so we’re hoping he can measure up to the Great Southern Star next year,” he said.

“At some stage he’ll probably have another break and he won’t be able to have too long off, but we’ll try have him going as good as we can for those races early next year.

“I think he can measure up to the best ones in time, but I don’t want to rush him there too quick.”

Arcee Phoenix’s stablemate Louie Lou I shapes as another strong chance on Saturday night, with the talented three-year-old to line-up in the TAB Download The App Pace from gate one (two if emergency Magic Mike starts).

“We’d be pretty happy to have him out in front running along,” Svanosio said.

“He’s run good races over the sprint trip and he’s drawn six or seven his last six starts. That’s the reason we targeted this race – at least he had a chance of drawing good.

“We’ll be hoping he can use that barrier draw to be up the front somewhere.”

Svanosio will also have last-start winner Aldebaran Miley and Mipersonaljet in the VHRC Caduceus Holmfield, a Group 3 event for the three-year-old trotters. That race is one of the highlights on Saturday night’s card, along with the VHRMA Graham Goffin Memorial – which will see the return of multiple Group 1 winner Tough Tilly – and the Centre State Printing Pace for the fast-class performers.