Sprinters ready to shine
Explosive sprinters Settle Strada, Magnifisio and Travinator are poised to lock horns in Sunday's $125,000 Northam Stakes (1100m).
Last year's winter revelation, Settle Strada was yesterday listed as second topweight on 59kg and drew gate seven from a list of 14 nominations.
Magnifisio drew perfectly in gate three for her first-up effort this campaign. The daughter of Magnus went to another level last time in, winning the RS Crawford Stakes (1000m) and Summer Scorcher (1000m), both at Listed level.
Magnifisio will carry 57.5kg under the 60kg topweight Kerr- ific, who co-trainers Bruce Watkins and Gary Hitchcock have also entered in a 1000m trial at Bunbury on Friday.
Travinator was weighted 0.5kg above the limit on 54.5kg.
He drew barrier eight.
The Dan Pearce-trained Travinator made a sensational comeback from 17 months off the scene after two operations to correct a breathing issue, when he carried 60kg and comfortably held out Terkel over 1000m at Ascot on April 19.
Travinator, once rated as the heir apparent to Winterbottom Stakes winner Barakey in local sprinting ranks, blew heavily after his win and should strip fitter on Sunday.
Peter Knuckey will return from the Gold Coast, where he is riding Platinum Rocker on Saturday, to ride Travinator.
Settle Strada became the first galloper to win the Beaufine Stakes, Bolton Sprint, Belmont Newmarket and Goodwood Sprint before he ran second to Kalahaar in the Farnley Stakes (1400m) at Belmont Park on September 7.
Trainer David Harrison warmed up the five-year-old with a trial over 950m at Lark Hill on Monday.
Jockey Patrick Carbery gave Settle Strada, who was not wearing blinkers, a crack with the whip at the 100m to ensure he was concentrating through the line when beating stablemate Mcscar in 57.53sec.
"He did all he needed to do," Harrison said.
"He is not right at his top.
"I think he has grown another inch and he will go better with blinkers."
Trainer Jim Taylor trialled Magnifisio over 1000m at Belmont on April 14, where she cruised home an easy winner without wearing blinkers.
"She is ready to go," Taylor said. "She has the weight limit I was prepared to go to run her."
·An inquiry into Gottabeyou being scratched from a March midweek race at Ascot after the mare was discovered to have swelling to her nearside jugular with traces of blood, will be heard next month.
Trainer Grant Williams and stable foreman Owen Gilbride have been directed to attend the May 16 inquiry.
"I think he has grown another inch and he will
go better with blinkers." " Settle Strada's trainer *David Harrison *
