Preview: Club Menangle October 17

LEMON AFTER A SWEET RETURN

Lemon is bringing two horses to town, Alabama Tyson (Race Six) and Sky Falcon (Race Five), with both regarded as solid chances of taking home a cheque.

Yet Lemon admits he is on a ‘dual mission’ as his real reason for coming to town is to bring his 11-year-old daughter Ava to the ‘Big Smoke’ to compete in the State Athletics Championships for primary schools at Homebush.

“Ava has to compete on Wednesday so I said we might as well chuck some horses on the float, go to Menangle and have a look and then head on to Homebush on the Wednesday,” said Lemon.

“Sky Falcon is only new to the stable and he had his first run for me on Friday at Wagga and finished second.

“It wasn’t a bad run although I still thing Alabama Tyson is probably my best chance.

“He’s right at the top of his game at the moment and he’s been to Menangle a couple of times.

“He actually ran in one of those Menangle Country Series finals down there and that big track really does suit him down to the ground.”

Lemon admits he is yet to land his first a winner at Menangle, but certainly he’s only had limited opportunities as he works as a mechanic in the Riverina and at this stage regards training and driving his horses as still just a hobby – albeit a time-consuming one.

“My best chance will probably be Alabama Tyson,” he said.

“Just because of the draw (two off the second line) and he’s really a sit-on-speed type of horse and he does have a sharp sprint on him.

“Hopefully he can provide the goods.

“I got caught wide there in that Country Series final and had to restrain back to last and we poked back up on the pegs and he got home in 26.5s, so he showed he can get home pretty well.”

Lemon is working five at his Wyalong property and admits he has been lucky to have a few handy horses along the way which are more than competitive in the Riverina.

Ava, by the way, will be competing on the long jump on Wednesday.

“She has a fair set of legs for jumping and can jump pretty long, so we’re hoping to go OK,” he said.

Certainly a winner at Menangle would be the icing on the cake.

“Ava gets up at 5am and helps me out with the horses and around the stable and she’ll be at Menangle with me tomorrow too,” he said.

“Hopefully the horses can do the rest and she can go and put in a big leap or two on Wednesday.”

Meanwhile in-form trainer Graeme Hartman will chase back-to-back wins with handy mare Later at Menangle today when the daughter of Sundon steps out in the opening race, the Father Patrick at Nevele R Stud Trotters Mobile.

Later scored a super win at Menangle last Tuesday and Hartman now has her mind on the job and she again looks the one to beat in the T2-T4 event over 1609m which will launch the seven-race card.