Continuing path towards Chariots

IMPRESSING with a first-up victory a fortnight, rising star Double Lou has drawn to continue his winning way when he heads back to Club Menangle this weekend.

Returning from a 13-week absence, Double Lou worked to the lead from barrier eight before completing a five-metre win from Business In Heaven.

Tukaha was two metres away third in 1:52.4 over a mile.

“He got to the front nice and easily and he did it as comfortably as he sort of likes to do,” trainer Bailey McDonough said. “He just does what he has to and I’m very happy with him.

“He’s really bulked up so hopefully he holds that condition through this prep.”

Pleased with the pacer’s performance, McDonough is priming Double Lou for Australasia’s premier four-year-old event – Chariots Of Fire – at Club Menangle on March 7.

As such, the son of Sweet Lou will return to the world class venue to tackle another 1609-metre sprint tomorrow night as he works towards peak fitness ahead of a Chariots Of Fire qualifier in a fortnight.

“I’ll aim him up for the Chariots Of Fire heats and see how he goes,” McDonough said.

To McDonough’s delight, Double Lou has drawn to lead throughout from the pole, with the gelding a short-priced favorite in early markets.

Still Rollin is considered the main danger from barrier five for leading trainer Jason Grimson.

The son of Rock N Roll Heaven has had three starts for Grimson for a pair of wins and a second behind his stablemate, exciting mare Captains Mistress, in the New Year Gift on January 17.

Last weekend Captains Mistress treated Australia’s premier mare Eye Keep Smiling with contempt with a 18-and-a-half metre win in Cranbourne!

Elsewhere on the card McDonough will take the reins behind the Jarrod Alchin-trained Guaranteed End, which has drawn to return to the winners’ circle.

Successful during his final outing of his previous campaign, Guaranteed End was triumphant first-up from a break before two unplaced performances.

The son of 2014 Chariots Of Fire winner Guaranteed will also begin from the pole over a mile.

McDonough and Alchin will also join forces with Hugo Maguire, which faces a daunting task from the outside of the front row in the 2300-metre D B Plumbing Pace.

McDonough’s remaining drives include Kingmaker and Fire Fox, with the latter also the widest drawn runner in a field of 10.

Sent for a much-needed break in early November, Kingmaker has a monumental return awaiting him, with his opposition including reigning Miracle Mile champion Don Hugo.

Don Hugo should have no difficulty leading from barrier two, with Kingmaker to come from gate three.

A member of the powerful Luke McCarthy stable, Don Hugo is being primed for his Miracle Mile title defence on March 14.