Cameron is setting the pace

10 October 2022

THERE’S no point looking beyond premier reinsman Cameron Hart if you’re looking for winners at Menangle on Tuesday.

The former Riverina horseman gave top trainer-driver Jack Trainor a gentle reminder of his talent at Menangle last Saturday night.

Resuming from a short holiday courtesy of the stewards, Trainor was looking forward to a big night at Menangle.

Punters obviously agreed and he was sent out favourite in four of the eight races on Saturday night.

Obviously, Hart had not read the ‘script’, because he won all four of those races, scoring with Jazzy Star, Wolf Stride, Tay Tay and Bacardi Barmaid in another stellar night at the office for the state’s No 1 driver.

Sadly, for Trainor, he finished second to Hart in all four of those races, ending the night with no winners and watching Hart increase his lead in the metropolitan drivers’ premiership by four to now hold a 38-31 lead over his rival.

And Hart’s dominance is set to continue at Tuesday’s meeting where he will drive the favourite in three of the four heats of the NSW Breeders Challenge for three-year-olds.

In-form trainer Jarrod Alchin has ensured Hart will be the man to follow, booking him for the drives on My Ultimate Byron ($1.65 favourite) in Race 5, Madrid ($1.50 favourite) in Race 6 and My Ultimate Skeeta ($5) in race 7.

The amazing part about that is that Hart has just one other drive on the nine-race program, on the square-gaiter Horse Of Course for co-trainers Joe and Mary Rando in Race 1.

Trainor, on the other hand, is in for a busy afternoon, with five good drives, while our other young stars Josh Gallagher and Jack Callaghan are also in demand.

All four of these gun reinsmen will clash in Race 7, the second of the two colts and geldings heats for three-year-olds.

Gallagher will quietly fancy his chances with the Brian Portelli-trained Foxy Dada, who has won his past two starts at Newcastle and Penrith.

“Black Onyx (gate one) and Jalaneel (two) both have good gate speed, while Mahomes also finished his race off well the other night,” said Gallagher.

“It’s a pretty hot field but Brian will have Foxy Dada ready to go.

“We’ll play it by ear, but I think he’ll be in the finish.”

Gallagher will also partner the consistent King Tiger for Kevin Pizzuto in the first colts and geldings heat, Race 5.