24 March 2017
AMANDA RANDO | @Amanda_Rando
HE is yet to snare a win in Sydney this campaign but can the Queensland trotter Our Overanova turn that around at Tabcorp Park Menangle today?
Australia’s leading trainer Grant Dixon believes he can.
Dixon, who prepares the son of Monarchy and will drive him in today’s Group 2 Keystone Del Trotters Cup (2300m), has been aiming the seven-year-old at this standing start feature for some time.
And after the gelding’s effort last week where he loomed up to one of Australasia’s current top trotters in On Thunder Road and finished second, Dixon considers Our Overanova his “best chance” today.
“He’s raced well in most of his runs this preparation and is knocking on the door,” Dixon said.
“It would be nice to win as we’ve been aiming him up for this race but the trotter is my best chance at the meeting.
“The 20m is a reasonable handicap for him and he is still a winning chance from there.
“It will just depend on how some of the others step for example Visualise who stepped away very quick last start and won.”
Our Overanova is currently the $2.50 favourite with TAB Fixed Odds ahead of Visualise at $3.50.
This is the closest handicap Our Overanova has faced since racing in New South Wales this campaign.
In the two standing starts the gelding has raced in during this time he has dealt with 40m and 30m handicaps respectively.
This will be the $265,862 earner’s last start in Sydney before he heads to Victoria.
“He’s done a great job for us and he’ll go to Melbourne after this as there are more trot races on for him down there,” Dixon said.
“Back home he is facing some harsh handicaps because of his class and there are more opportunities for him south.
“We are still unsure who will train him at this stage but he will come home after Melbourne.”
Dixon will be packing up the rest of his team in Sydney and take them back to Queensland after today’s meeting.
Dixon has campaigned a number of horses here since the Miracle Mile Carnival.
“We were just seeing how things would go but we are going home after this meeting,” Dixon said.
“Dale Spencer has been looking after the horses in Sydney and he’s done a great job but we need him back home.”
Dixon broke a century of wins as a driver for the season on Wednesday night at Redcliffe – the 19th time he has achieved this feat.
He has driven 4057 winners throughout his career and since he began training horses in 2000 has trained 1480 winners.
Harness Racing NSW (HRNSW) is the controlling body for harness racing in New South Wales with responsibility for commercial and regulatory management of the industry including 33 racing clubs across the State. HRNSW is headed by a Board of Directors and is independent of Government.
To arrange an interview or for further information please contact:
AMANDA RANDO | MEDIA & COMMUNICATIONS MANAGER
(02) 9722 6600 • arando@hrnsw.com.au • @Amanda_Rando