Trots Centre: ‘Don is good and ready to do something great

Reward for toil is just around the corner for Sundons Courage and that corner could be cleared as early as tonight at Tabcorp Park Melton.

That’s the prediction of reinsman Ryan Duffy, who says Brad Angove’s consistent trotter is only a touch of luck from transforming super sectionals into success.

“If he can get the right run in transit and land handy enough he’s definitely a threat,” Duffy told Trots Talk ahead of tonight’s Aldebaran Park R C Freestone Trotters Free For All, when he’ll attempt to win for the second time in 19 starts.

The seven-year-old winner of $284,845 will start from outside the front row owing to his out of draw status, with favoured pair Dance Craze (gate five) and McLovin (gate six) immediately on his inside in the middle-distance Group 3 trot.

They’ll be clearly tough to top, but Duffy takes the reins with confidence owing to Sundons Courage’s impressive recent showings.

“He’s probably racing in career best form at the moment,” he said.

“His sectionals, even going through his last four or five runs when he’s been running fourths and fifths, his sectionals have been second to none, if not the fastest or second fastest in all the races he’s been in and doing all the work off the track.”

And with a modest seven-horse field for tonight’s 10^th race, the last on the program which streams on Trots Vision at 11.02pm, Sundons Courage’s likely to be able to settle closer to the front and threaten with a finishing burst.

And then start planning for even greater glories.

“If we can get him back in the draw come Great Southern Star time (on February 5), I think he’s in career best form at the moment, and it wouldn’t surprise me if he got the job done (tonight).”

The reinsman will drive four others tonight. Here are his thoughts on their chances:

Race 1: DNR Logistics Pace

N2 ROCKNROLL NOAH (trainer Keith Cotchin)

“Rocknroll Noah was a claimer when they bought him and stuck around the claiming ranks. Lately they’ve been racing him properly as just a racehorse and he’s actually going as good as he’s been going in the last two years that I’ve been driving him.

“With a bit of luck in transit, he can’t do too much early, and a bit of tempo on I think he can be right there.”

Race 2: Alabar Vicbred Pace

N9 BRACKENREID (trainer Keith Cotchin)

“He’s probably drawn ideal in nine. Not being able to use him early and being able to just get a nice sucky run, he’s another one, if there’s a bit of pace early and the swoopers get their chance to get into the race he’ll be right there as well.”

Race 5: Gordon Rothacker Memorial Championship

N11 MAESTRO BELLINI (trainer Kate Hargreaves)

“Since joining the Kate (Hargreaves) and Alex (Ashwood) team he’s really shown that he’s getting back to what he used to be. Obviously drawn 11 can be a bit sticky over the mile, but if he’s anything like the old Maestro Bellini I think he’s very capable of doing some work in the run and being able to finish it off. He was more known as a tough staying horse. The first start they gave him he led and got away with it, he sat and sprinted last week. There might be a different style of racing for him this week.”

Race 8: Allied Express Pace

N4 A FAIR OL DANCE (trainer Mick Stanley)

“He ran a terrific race (last start), to be able to do the work off the gate, I think there were three or four of us in that early burn. He finished third and the other ones that were all in it tailed out a fair way. His run was second to none. If he can find the pegs or lead or just be on the premises without doing too much, he will definitely be a threatening chance.”

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