Trots Centre: Can Avimore stand up and be counted at Kilmore?

Rod Petroff is optimistic that if, and it’s a big IF, Avimore puts his best foot forward tonight it will be a big stride towards big things in the trotter’s future.

The Yabby Dam Farms three-year-old, who’s an Angus Hall gelding out of 15-time winner Speedy Naomi, has had an error-riddled career to date but his new trainer-driver is hopeful the project will prove himself a professional racehorse at Kilmore tonight.

_{Picture: Avimore trailing Is That A Bid. Petroff steers both at Kilmore tonight.}

“We’ve had him three or four months,” Petroff said. “We’ve pre-trained a few for (Yabby Dam Farms owner) Pat (Driscoll) and (trainer) Anton (Golino) and he’s a bit of a handful, so they left him here for a bit of one-on-one attention and he is sure starting to benefit.”

While Petroff will steer some talented trotters tonight from the Mick Hughes stable in Is That A Bid and Gatesys Alley, its Avimore that may well lure most interest.

Not only is he a starter in the OKR 98.3FM 2YO and 3YO Trotters Handicap, an usual blend of mixed ages from the standing start, but he’s likely to be favourite despite beating only one runner home in his last four attempts.

“Manners have been the main issue with him, but if he takes to the race track what he does here manners wise then he’s got the ability to do the rest,” Petroff said. “He’s a horse with a lot of upside.

“He will be from the stands tomorrow night. He doesn’t seem to want to stand, he is always galloping away from the tapes, but we took him to trial at Melton and he got away really well and has trained on well.”

He shares the 30-metre backmark with Brent Lilley-trained three-year-olds The Honours and Kyvalley Surfrider, and Petroff said the draw suited him fine because “he can go and do his own thing as a backmarker”.

“It’s only a mile, that’s the only thing against him, but if he behaves his ability will bring him into it. Potentially he could be a good Derby contender. He has a bit of speed and toughness to go with it.”

ROD PETROFF ON HIS OTHER DRIVES:

R1 N7 IDEAL CULLECT (trainer Don Gee)

“Don said he has been travelling very well. He seems a go forward horse. Generally when he has horses at the races they are that way and we will put him in the race.”

R4 N1 GATESYS ALLEY (trainer Mick Hughes)

“Mick has got her going really good. She has drawn well, it’s a strong race but she seems to get better each time out. It’s a good draw and I expect to use it. The aim will be to lead, but it’s not a problem if she cops a lot of pressure and we choose to take a trail. She’s a winning chance either way.”

R6 N6 IS THAT A BID (trainer Mick Hughes)

“He’s very good. Seems to improve each start. He was a very good two-year-old, but is such a big horse it has taken a while to hit his straps. He will press forward and see where he ends up. If he leads that’s good, if he doesn’t he’s pretty versatile.”

R7 N4 JAMIESON STEELE (trainer Ken Ward)

“He’s racing well over the mile. He is probably drawn to find the front and if he does the backmarkers will have to run quickly to beat him. Sicario and Professor Tom may be a bit classier, but he will be running along, which will be in his favour.”

R8 N6 FOUR LONELY NIGHTS (trainer Don Lock)

“He is just finding his way back into form. He is another go forward horse. We will press forward and see what happens after that.”

TALKING TROTS ON SENTRACK:

Hosts Jason Bonnington and Blake Redden have another big show planned for today's SENTrack trots double-hour, which runs weekdays from 11am-1pm on 1377AM in Melbourne, 657AM in Perth and 1575AM in Wollongong.

Click here to listen live and for links to download the SEN app.

Highlights include:

From 11am:

Trainers Craig Turnbull and Darryn Rowney on Shepparton.

From 11.20am:

Trainer Brent Lilley on Kilmore.

From noon:

The latest from Michael Guerin 

From 12.20pm:

Trainer Amanda Grieve on Tabcorp Park Melton on Saturday night

From 12.30pm:

Trainer Anton Golino on Tabcorp Park Melton on Saturday night