CHAMPION trainer Emma Stewart expects her young gun The Lost Storm to seriously stake his claim for the world’s richest harness race by winning Saturday night’s Group 1 Queensland Derby at Albion Park.
It’s no secret Stewart and her co-trainer Clayton Tonkin think the world of The Lost Storm showed a glimpse why when he thrashed his rivals in a Derby lead-up race in Brisbane last Saturday.
“He’ll be better again this week,” Stewart said. “We’re staying with Grant Dixon up here and he talked us into running The Lost Storm last week on the quick back-up after his first-up win at Bendigo. Grant said the Derby was over 2680m and we’d be best giving the horse another run.
“I’m glad we did because he was super last week. He’s right where we want him. It was his third run back from a long break and he’ll be primed for this week.”
While the Derby carries a $150,000 purse, Stewart said taking The Lost Storm to Queensland was as much an investment in his preparation for the $2.1mil TAB Eureka on September 2 at Menangle as much as anything else.
“No question. We wanted to give him a trip away and season him up with the Eureka in mind,” she said.
“He’s on a plane home Sunday and we’ll do the rest of his lead-up racing at home (Victoria), but it’s great to get this trip under his belt.
“He won’t go up and race early at Menangle. I think it’s bullsh*t the belief horses need to have a lead-up race at Menangle before big targets, we’ve had plenty of success taking horses and winning big races their first-up.
“He’s best at home where we know exactly what to do with him to have him spot on for the Eureka.”
While The Lost Storm is a $1.25 favourite to make it 10 wins from just 12 starts in the Queensland Derby, Stewart knows life will be infinitely harder when he takes on four-year-olds Leap To Fame and Catch A Wave in the TAB Eureka.
“Don’t worry, we’re under no illusions how hard that’s going to be, but what we’ve got is a guaranteed good barrier draw and that’s a big thing in our favour,” she said.
The Lost Storm is and will probably be by race time, the only three-year-old in a race restricted to three and four-year-olds.
Under the conditions, it means his connections will get first pick of the barriers, which will almost certainly see them take pole position.
“Leap To Farm is outstanding as we’ve seen how good Catch A Wave is, they’re the ones to beat for sure,” Stewart said.
The latest TAB Eureka market has Leap To Farm $2 favourite from Catch A Wave $3, Captain Ravishing $5 and The Lost Storm at $8.
More immediately, Stewart concedes her hopes of upstaging Leap To Fame with her two runners – Mach Dan and Amore Vita - in Saturday night’s $400,000 Blacks A Fake at Albion Park have been cruelled by barrier draws.
“It’s a huge ask now they’ve drawn 11 (Mach Dan) and 12 (Amore Vita),” she said. “We’re happy with both horses, but they’re going to need lots to go right now.
“Mach Dan had nothing go right last week in the Sunshine Sprint, while Amore Vita produced a career-best to win the Golden Girl.”
· Adam Hamilton is a paid contributor writing on harness racing for News Corp.
