The early scratching of pre-post favourite Sammy Do Good has paved the way for Gentleman Jim to capture tomorrow night's $20,000 Coulter Crown at Moonee Valley.
"That helps for sure, but I was confident we could have beaten him at the handicaps had he been running," explained Gentleman Jim's Melton-based driver John Caldow.
A trotter of giant dimensions, Gentleman Jim crushed his rivals by 25-metres at Cranbourne two starts back before finishing rearward at Ballarat last weekend.
"Last week I didn't have much luck at all so I would best forget the run," Caldow explained today.
"When I came up three wide I thought Chris (Alford, driving Sammy Do Good) would roll to the lead, but he couldn't and I got stuck three wide.
"The run actually did him more good than harm for this week because he hadn't had a run for three weeks...it's tightened him up."
A winner at 19 of his 42 starts, the pacing-bred trotter will share the 10-metre backmark in the 2575-metre handicap with All Action Son, Sir Gondola and Illawong Ian.
The enigmatic Uncle Petrika, evergreen veteran West Texas Crude and former Victoria Oaks winner Skye Rocket represent the leading front line chances.
Whilst beaten home by several of tomorrow night's rivals at Ballarat last week, Caldow is confident of turning the tables with the Scotch Notch Memorial winner.
"The stand and longer trips are his go, so he'll be much better suited this week," he said.
"The horse is trotting super and whilst he's already an M4 he's only starting to really mature now because he's so big.
"With a bit more luck this week, I'm confident he'll be right in the finish."
The Coulter Crown will feature at 9.10pm tomorrow on a huge 11 race card which heralds the opening of the revamped Moonee Valley circuit.
