IN a shock and daring twist, brilliant pacer and leading TAB Eureka contender Captain Ravishing looks set to go into the world’s richest harness race without a lead-up run.
Trainer Ahmed Taiba outlined his daring plan to keep Captain Ravishing fresh and rely on three trials, rather than any races, to prime the powerhouse four-year-old for the $2.1mil TAB Eureka at Menangle on September 2.
Captain Ravishing, a winner of nine of his 15 starts, has not raced since running way below his best when seventh to Catch A Wave in the Miracle Mile at Menangle on March 4.
“His speed is his greatest strength and our preparation is all about having him as fresh and sharp as we can come Eureka night,” Taiba said.
“We don’t think giving some hard races and running 1min52sec miles in the lead-up is the best thing for him.
“If we stick to trials we can ask as much or as little of him as we’d like … we can control how hard he goes and that’s what we want to do.”
More immediately, Taiba said Captain Ravishing confirmed Captain Ravishing would go to Melton for a workout, with a partner and new race driver aboard, at 2 pm on Friday. Then it’s to Geelong’s Team Zav night on Friday week for a public workout.
But Taiba quickly added not to expect fireworks in either workout.
“He’s not ready to go hard and we don’t want that anyway,” he said. “Both trips are more about getting him away from the farm and to let him dash home at the finish.
“On Friday, he’ll sit behind another horse and we’ll ask Greg (Sugars) to pull him coming around the final bend and let him stride out from there.”
Captain Ravishing has long had a strong tendency to “look around” and hang in during his races and addressing that has been a big focus for Taiba on the training track.
“He worked very well last week, but wanted to lug in again,” he said. “So, yesterday (Tuesday) we tried a Murphy blind on him. It was a bit audacious, but it worked a treat.
“The Murphy blind will be on again at Melton (Friday) because we’re keen to see how well he comes out from behind another horse with it on.”
Basically, the Murphy blind blocks much of a horse’s peripheral vision with the aim being to keep them focused on looking ahead.
Even when Captain Ravishing sat outside and beat Queensland pacing sensation Leap To Fame in a heat of last year’s Victoria Derby – which seems unthinkable now – he hung very badly at varying stages, especially under pressure in the home straight.
“He did it again at his last two runs in the Chariots Of Fire and Miracle Mile at Menangle,” Taiba said. “I think it’s something we at least have to try and fix if we’re going to beat the sort of horses we’ll be facing in the Eureka.”
Captain Ravishing is $5 third favourite in the latest TAB Eureka markets and will race in the Team Zav slot of Danny and Jo Zavitsanos.
· Adam Hamilton is a paid contributor writing on harness racing for News Corp.
