By Duane Ranger
Cristina Monte’s 10-strong Jacobs Well stable is flying at the moment, and expect that trend to continue at Albion Park on Saturday night.
The Gold Coast trainer has won at three of the last four Saturday night meetings at headquarters.
The only time in the last month that she hasn’t won a race (February 2) - her 13-win pacer, Secret Jack, placed.
“He’s the best of my two chances on Saturday. He’s a lovely pacer and not far behind Maretti and Bundaburra in ability,” said Monte who trains with her husband Charlie Cini.
Secret Jack (4) and stablemate, Gotta Good Reason (2) will start in the first and 10th races respectively. They will both be driven by Gary Whitaker.
Gotta Good reason finished a close-up half-head and half-neck victory behind Tomeara and Ima Top Tycoon at Albion Park last Saturday.
“We have had him for four starts now goes along pretty good as well, but it’s going to be hard crossing the number one horse (Lincoln Road)," Monte said.
“He gets out well, so we could be left parked and not able to cross him. If that happens we might be in trouble. Ideally I’d love the horse to be able to duck back and get some cover, but from two and with a full field it might not be that easy.
“In saying that he can do it tough if he wants to, but the one horse is the concern."
That’s why Monte preferred Secret Jack in the first event.
“He’s gone 1:52 in recent weeks and has a good draw to get a good run. He’s another gelding who goes nicely. He has won 13 races including two (from nine starts) this season. His best winning mile rate is 1:52.3 which should take him close in this race,” Monte said.
Last week Monte had two sub $2 favourites line up and the gifted 9-year-old Famous Forever gelding, Bundaburra, got up in the hands of Whitaker from barrier 11.
“The stable is going pretty well at the moment and I put that down to us now training a better class of animal. I have no plans of leaving the State with them this season. We have only had Maretti for about seven weeks," Monte said.
“We will just keep racing them here in Queensland with the Winter Carnival being our main target,” said Monte, who also trained the former Queensland Derby champion, Catcha Lefty.
“We’ve been training for a long time now and ‘Lefty’ is right up there with the best we have had."