15 December 2016
AMANDA RANDO reporting for the Daily Telegraph
AFTER spending time in the west reinsman Luke McCarthy makes his return to the east on Thursday night with two drives at Penrith Paceway.
McCarthy earned a well-deserved holiday after campaigning Bling It On in Perth for the TABtouch Inter Dominion Series.
And after walking away with a win and a placing in the Inter Dominion heats plus a fourth in the Grand Final to Smolda, McCarthy was happy with Bling It On’s Grand Circuit preparation.
“He made over $100,000 in four starts over there and that was earned mainly in placings,” McCarthy said.
“He was very unlucky in the Final and with the right run he would have gone close to winning.
“He was right there with them and at least we can walk away with a good feeling and that he can mix it with the big guns.”
Bling It On is still in Perth waiting for the next flight to Sydney and on his return will be aimed at the Victoria Cup next year.
McCarthy has not been in the sulky for a race since driving in the Inter Dominion, however, makes his comeback with Sparkling Tachyon at Penrith.
The Craig Cross-trained filly is first up in Australia after having had eight starts in New Zealand.
“She is a Kiwi who is having her first start in the country and has some pretty good New Zealand form,” McCarthy said.
The filly was exported to Australia a month ago and brought with her a record of one win having raced in many juvenile filly feature races in the Shaky Isles.
And it is a similar scenario with McCarthy’s second drive on the night.
McCarthy will pilot Strawberry Stride in race seven for owners Emilio and Mary Rosati.
The daughter of Bettors Delight raced nine times in New Zealand when formerly trained by Tony Herlihy and most of those starts were in feature races.
She finished thereabouts in features such as the Two-Year-Old Diamond and Sires Stakes and won on debut at Alexandra Park rating 1:59.0.
The filly is yet to have a race start as a three-year-old, however, has trialled at Tacborp Park Menangle in recent weeks finishing in placings in her most two recent outings.
“She is a pretty nice filly and very well bred,” McCarthy said.
“She raced in a lot of top races back home so should go nicely first up.”
McCarthy also has a big night booked in at Tabcorp Park Menangle this Saturday with five drives engaged.
He will partner Allblack Stride in the open-class pace of the night and the gelding is currently the favourite for the race.
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