Australia’s top pacer King Of Swing is nearing a racetrack return and the rescheduled Blacks A Fake is a major target.
Driver Luke McCarthy said he was thrilled Racing Queensland has opted to run the Blacks A Fake on December 12.
“It’s great timing for us and an ideal target for King Of Swing,” he said.
“He’s almost ready to go. He’ll trial in mid-July, then we’ll get him back to the races.”
King Of Swing took harness racing by storm when he won the elite Hunter Cup and Miracle Mile double in February/March.
He was spelled straight after the sparkling Miracle Mile triumph.
“Gee he’s blossomed during the break. He’s bigger and a stronger, a real brute. He’s just furnished into a magnificent horse,” McCarthy said.
“He’s still got upside. He’s only five and what he did in a short period of time was quite amazing.
“He’ll have a couple of runs at Menangle in August and September, go to the Victoria Cup in October and then come home and head to Queensland for the Blacks A Fake. That’s how the rest of his year looks.”
McCarthy, who grew-up in Bathurst but spent much of his life in Queensland, can’t wait to get back to the Sunshine State.
“I love getting back up there and we usually take a team up for the Carnivals,” he said.
More immediately, top NSW trainer Anthony Butt desperately wants to head north with his star three-year-old Perfect Stride.
The Victoria and NSW Derby placegetter returns from a spell at Menangle on Saturday night.
“We want to run in the South-East Derby (July 18), we just need the restrictions to be eased so we go up with the horse,” he said.