Photo by Stuart McCormick
CHAMPION driver Chris Alford kick-starts a frantic week when he reunites with Australia’s top trotting mare Queen Elida at Melton on Saturday night.
The five-year-old boasts 25 wins from just 43 starts and is a commanding $1.35 favourite in the $50,000 Group 2 Australasian Trotting Championship (2760m).
Just hours after driving Queen Elida, Alford will be on a plane to the US where he will drive Queen Elida’s stablemate, the classy Aldebaran Zeus, in one of the world’s biggest trotting races, the $US1mil Yonkers Invitational in New York on September 9.
“It’s an exciting time,” Alford said. “The only time I’ve driven in the US was back in 2018 when I had a couple of drives at Delaware when I went across to watch the Little Brown Jug, but this is a totally different level.”
Alford, who boasts almost 8000 career wins, is hoping to have some “practice” drives at US tracks ahead of the big trot.
“I’m lucky, I’ve got a couple of the top drivers Tim Tetrick and Yannick Gingras as well as Brad Chisholm and Mitch Barker looking out for a few drives for me,” he said.
“It would be fun to get to a few meetings in the lead-up and have a few drives.”
Aldebaran Zeus, a proven Group 1 performer in Australia, landed an invite to the Yonkers Invitational a couple of months ago and owner Duncan McPherson quickly accepted.
His most significant win came on March 4 when Aldebaran Zeus upstaged Just Believe at Group 1 level at Menangle. Just Believe then went to Sweden and competed very well against some of the world's best trotters.
Alford has his fingers crossed for a good barrier draw.
“It’s important to him because he’s at his best when he’s in front or racing on the speed,” he said. “I know it’ll be a strong field, but he’s a serious horse at his best. If he gets a draw to suit, I’m sure he will be very competitive.”
More immediately, Alford is excited about Queen Elida’s return as she prepares for races like the Group 1 Bill Collins Sprint (October 14) and the Queensland Inter Dominion in December.
It’s her first run since winning easily at Melton on June 24 and just her second try in a standing-start since coming across from New Zealand two years ago to join Brent Lilley’s stable.
“I don’t think the standing start will be too big an issue,” he said. “Tracey (Cullen, Lilley’s partner) does all the work with her and thinks she’ll handle the stand ok. She’s a sensible mare and it’s only a small field, so that helps.
“It’s great to have her back because everyone knows the huge opinion I’ve got of her.
“This really should be her campaign. She’s had a really good grounding and wasn’t quite at her top for the big races late last year earlier this year.
“She’s a year older and Brent and Tracey have given her a really solid foundation through the middle of this year.
“She’s the fastest trotter I’ve driven and she’s just a class act.”
· Adam Hamilton is a paid contributor writing on harness racing for News Corp.
