Trots Centre: Shadow ready to step back into the spotlight

Shadow Sax is getting closer to hitting the right note all the time and hopeful owner/breeder Pam Hockham is optimistic today’s Trots Country Cups Championship leg will be a further stride towards his best.

Having just his second start for trainer-driver Matt Craven after amassing almost $550,000 for trainer Emma Stewart, Shadow Sax will clash with some familiar faces in The Weekly Advertiser Horsham Pacing Cup.

Stewart and partner Clayton Tonkin account for five of the 10-horse field, with Mach Dan, Fourbigmen, Somewhere Secret and Like A Wildfire drawn the front line and Out To Play on the outside of the back row, directly to the right of Shadow Sax.

The latter is second-up off a ninth placing in the March 14 Charlton Cup, which was only his second run since being sidelined by injury after the 2019 Victoria Cup.

“We’ve been through a lot of challenges with him but he’s getting back to his best,” Hockham said.

“He’s been down the beach every week, loves the water. Matt’s been really taking his time with him and getting him back to his best.”

And, after plenty of patience, it’s hoped the rewards will soon come on the race track.

“He was in the Charlton Cup two weeks ago and we didn’t expect much,” Hockham said. “He hasn’t had any racing. He’s going to get better every time he starts, because he’s got no injuries at the moment.

“I would have loved to have drawn the front line (at Horsham), because he loves getting in front and leading. We will see how he goes. As long as he runs a really good race I will be very happy, we are setting him for big things.”

Shadow Sax won the Horsham Cup in 2018 after earlier winning the South Australian Cup in the same year and Hockham said she’d love for the Shadow Play eight-year-old to repeat that double, with the April 17 South Australia Cup his primary goal of this campaign.

Tomorrow’s pacing cup shares the headline status with the Speeding Spur Horsham Trotters Cup, featuring a six-horse field with Andy Gath’s pair Globe Trekker and Monaro Maro looming large.

The eight-race card kicks off at 1.34pm.

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