Rickie and Ricky on the hunt for a Menangle winner

17 January 2023

LEADING Menangle trainer Rickie Alchin may need to keep a watchful eye on his stable foreman Ricky Hunt at Tabcorp Park Menangle today.

That’s because it’s fair to say Hunt will be gunning for his boss when the pair take to the track in the opening race, the Garrards Miracle Mile 4 March Trotters Mobile.

Alchin will partner King City, the $3 early favourite for the 2300m mobile.

And while he gets the ‘luxury’ of coming out of barrier three, his stablemate Flashy Seb, to be driven by Hunt, will have to come from the outside of the front line.

Some consistent recent form has Flashy Seb safe in the betting as the second favourite around the $5 mark.

Hunt has been making a habit of finding the winners’ circle when he gets the opportunity to fill in for ‘the boss’ in the past few months and his most recent win was aboard Flashy Seb at Menangle in the last meeting before their Christmas break.

Yet Alchin is confident he is on the right horse as King City was en eye-catching fifth at Menangle last week after breaking at the start of the race and settling seven back on  the pegs before making late ground to finish fifth to Daimyo, beaten about 13 metres.

“He came over to us as a two-year-old from New Zealand and is a beautiful-looking animal and I really liked him,” said Alchin.

“We did have a few little soundness issues with him and a scan showed he had a lot of bone bruising and the vet suggested we give him six months off.

“We gave him the time he needed and he’s on the comeback trail now.

“The ability is there although he’s still immature and has a bit to learn about racing.

“But he does have the ability and finds himself in a race where he just needs to put his right foot forward to be hard to catch.”

Alchin knows his danger will be the stablemate:

“I thought that was one of his [Flashy Seb’s] better runs last start. He should strengthen up as he matures but he did run a solid three quarters last week and faded late.

“The outside barrier won’t hurt him so he can get things right at the start and he has that tactical speed so he can certainly figure in the finish.”