Rising star ready to shine

SEVERAL established stars headline tonight’s Club Menangle meeting, but it is the return of a rising star which is poised to attract the bulk of the attention.

Boasting an imposing record of seven wins and a second from nine starts, Loucasso is set to have his first outing since capturing the Australasian Breeders’ Crown in Melton last December.

Last season’s Australian Two-Year-Old of the Year, Loucasso was also triumphant in the Protostar Slot Race at Albion Park and the Australian Pacing Gold Final in Melton for record-breaking Victorian trainer Emma Stewart.

The son of Sweet Lou was transferred to New South Wales horseman Seaton Grima during his time off, showing in a tremendous amount of faith in the 23-year-old.

Given a long, steady preparation by Grima, Loucasso is engaged in the TAB Three-Year-Old Stake over 1609 metres.

To be driven by Grima, Loucasso heads into the event on the back of 40-metre trial win in 1:52.5 at Club Menangle a fortnight ago.

Despite being the widest drawn in the field of seven, the colt is a $1.15 TAB Fixed Odds favourite, with Alert Bay considered the main danger at $5 from barrier three.

Succesful at Club Menangle on August 8 when first-up from a spell, the James Rattray-trained colt was then third at the same venue a fortnight later.

One More Reason is the only other runner under double figures at $7.50 from the pole.

One More Reason returned from a four-month spell with a second – beaten a half-neck in 1:52.1 – at Club Menangle on August 15.

As for the established stars in action, they include a rampaging Captains Knock, which is chasing four consecutive wins against open class opposition.

A member of the powerful Jason Grimson stable, Captains Knock is a $1.50 favourite from barrier 10, with his stablemate, Rakero Rocket, a $2.20 second elect from gate 11.

Sent for a spell following his unplaced effort in the Group Two Light Horse Free-For-All at Club Menangle on March 14, Rakero Rocket won a trial in 1:50 at the same venue last week.

Such is the dominance of the Grimson pair, evergreen veteran Max Delight is next in line at $15 from barrier eight for David Aiken.

Elsewhere on the card, quality mares Eye Keep Smiling and Lux Aeterna will clash in the Ranji Bill Stake.

A quintuple Group One winner, Eye Keep Smiling, which has been kept fresh since her fourth at Albion Park on August 1, has fared best in barrier two for champion horseman Luke McCarthy.

TAB Fixed Markets responded by listing the daughter of Sweet Lou as a $1.45 favourite, with Lux Aeterna next at $4 from gate six.

A dual Group One winner for trainer Rickie Alchin, Lux Aeterna was successful against mares’ company at Club Menangle two starts ago before a second in Newcastle on August 21.

Eye Keep Smiling beat Lux Aeterna by two-and-a-half metres during their most recent meeting – the Group One Golden Girl at Albion Park on July 18.

On that occasion Eye Keep Smiling worked to the lead from barrier seven, with Lux Aeterna trailling the pacemaker from the pole.