Heathcote trainer Michael Chilcott embarks on a ‘fact-finding mission’ with his two staying aspirants in the G3 Destini Lodge Fireball heats (725m) at The Meadows on Saturday night.
Chilcott has My Father’s Son in Heat 1 (Race 2 at 6.57pm) and Up The Amount in Heat 2 (Race 3 at 7.20pm).
My Father’s Son (Box 4) – runner-up to Five Star in last month’s Pink Diamond Champion Distance final (660m) at Bendigo – tackles G1 Sandown Cup hero and G3 Speed Star (595m) winner Zipping Rambo (Box 7).
And Up The Amount (Box 7) – a last start Shepparton 650m winner – faces off with Listed Cup Night Stayers winner Hank The Hustler (Box 2) and G3 Speed Star (715m) winner Five Star (Box 8) who was a finalist in last week’s G1 Queensland Cup.
Both appear to have their ‘backs against the wall’ tackling the distance crème-de-la-crème! But that’s not deterring the information-gathering Chilcott.
“I’m not going to die wondering,” he said. “We’ll find out whether they’re up to this company.”
My Father’s Son, who was a Fireball finalist last year, is rated by Chilcott as his best chance. He was a last start second to the in-form Major Sacrifice at The Meadows.