Adopting ‘a bird in the hand’ approach

WITH his stable stars receiving larger handicaps per win prominent trainer Ryan Hryhorec is adopting ‘a bird in the hand’ approach for the remainder of the South Australian country cups circuit.

Hryhorec has dominated the trotting sector by making a clean sweep of the first three cups, with each feature doubling as heats of the SA Trotters’ Cup on April 30.

While victory is the ultimate goal, Hryhorec believes the re-handicapping of the winners decreases their prospects of capturing the ‘final’.

For example, Mass Destruction began the series on the 10-metre line but is now off 20, while C K Spur has been pushed back to 40 metres as a result of his Hambletonian triumph last weekend.

“It does get to the point you wonder if they will be a descent chance in the SA Trotters’ Cup with the way the handicaps are going,” Hryhorec said.

“If they happen to win another cup or two they’ll pretty much be handicapped out of the main one.

“Obviously the SA Trotters’ Cup is the one we want to win, but at this stage they are better off winning the heats while they’re in good form and not handicapped out of it.

“Some prizemoney now is better than possible prizemoney later on.

“I guess it’s a teething problem given this is the first year of the circuit, but maybe something like a series handicap needs to be introduced.

“Hopefully next year something can also be done about the prizemoney as going around for $8000 and $9000 for this class is embarrassing when we can go to Mildura and race in a basic free-for-all for $12,000.”

Despite the handicaps Hryhorec remains confident Mass Destruction and C K Spur are capable of securing tonight’s Port Pirie Trotters’ Cup.

Hryhorec will partner C K Spur, with Dani Hill to take the reins behind Mass Destruction, while Lisa Ryan will drive their stablemate, Aldebaran Alissa, from the front line.

“I still expect both of them to be in the finish,” Hryhorec said. “It’s only a small field of seven and being over 2530 metres on a good track gives them plenty of time and space to get into the race.

“It’s a shame for a cup to only get seven starters, but for those coming off handicaps it means less traffic.”