Plan ‘A’ complete, now time for Plan ‘A’!

PLAN ‘A’ has panned out perfectly and now it’s time for, well, a second Plan ‘A’.

Heading to Club Menangle last night, veteran horseman Harry Martin had one goal in sight – gain a berth in the Chariots Of Fire.

Australia’s premier four-year-old event, the Chariots Of Fire is scheduled to be conducted around the 1400-metre circuit in a fortnight.

With his stable star Titian Raider booking his spot in the $200,000 feature, Martin will now work on a way to win the Group One.

“We went there to win, but obviously there was more at stake than the prizemoney,” Martin said. “The plan was to get a spot in the Chariots and we’ve done that.

“If it didn’t work out last night, then it was Plan ‘B’ and go around again in next week’s heat and hope we get through that time.”

Driven by Glenn McElhinney, Titian Raider was pushed forward to lead from barrier seven as New Zealand raider – odds-on favourite, Krug – galloped soon after the start.

Allowed to roll along at a steady tempo, Titian Raider completed a two-metre win from Bettor Call Me, with Delightful Dude four metres away third.

“That run last week when he was first-up for nearly three months did him the world of good, so I knew he’d be nice and tight for last night,” Martin said.

“I couldn’t be happier with his run and where he is at.

“We’ve gotten into the big one now so he won’t do much until then.

“I may trial him at Menangle, but won’t be going to the races as he puts in too hard and leaves everything on the track.”

Covering the mile in 1:50.5, the son of Sunshine Beach took his record to 12 wins and 11 placings from 29 starts for earnings of $140,020.