Aussie Update - 22nd April

By Adam Hamilton

AUSTRALIA’S most exciting pacer Lochinvar Art helped turned a ho-hum Shepparton midweek meeting into something special.

The Chariots Of Fire winner and Miracle Mile runner-up sparkled at his first run since that mighty Miracle Mile run.

Trainer-driver David Moran allowed the son of Modern Art to settle early from a backrow draw then whizzed around to take the lead in the middle stages.

Lochinvar Art was never out of second gear in a 1min56.5sec mile rate for 2190m, capped by closing splits of 55.3 and 27sec.

Like so many other trainers, Moran is now sweating on Harness Racing Victoria removing the zoned racing and bringing back metropolitan access for the state’s best horses.

Insiders say that could be as early as early next month.

Multiple Group 1-winning trotter Big Jack Hammer added to the buzz of the Shepparton meeting when he overcame a 40m back mark to win in soft fashion.

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THE old and the new shape-up for a mouth-watering clash at Gloucester Park on Friday night.

Comeback champ Chicago Bull, so impressive winning first-up from injury last, locks horns with WA’s new pin-up star Shockwave in the free-for-all.

And, adding to the intrigue, is the fact neither have drawn to lead.

Chicago Bull is drawn wide in gate seven, with plenty of gate speed underneath him, while Shockwave will start from outside the back row (gate 12).

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ONE of Australia’s most gifted pacers Poster Boy returns from almost a year out at Melton on Saturday night.

Emma Stewart’s five-year-old looked the next big thing when he won the 2019 Chariots Of Fire and ran third in the Miracle Mile two weeks later.

He was then struck down with pneumonia and almost died.

Stewart’s sharpened him up with some recent trials and he looks a class above his five rivals.