Albert Primed For Special Run
Newcastle Herald
Saturday October 11, 2008
SOMERSBY trainer Bill Dawson is confident he has Newcastle Horse of the Year Special Albert spot-on for his engagement in the $30,000 Bankstown Cup (2140 metres) tonight.
The stallion beat Make Me Smile at Newcastle two starts back before finishing last behind the same gelding at Harold Park on September 26."He will be a lot better this week, and this time I have the advantage of having drawn inside of Make Me Smile," Dawson said."There is not much between the two pacers. It seems to be a case of whichever horse draws the best is the one that finishes in front of the other."Dawson has been frustrated in finding suitable races for Special Albert."There are not that many fast-class horses around at the moment, and getting races for them to stand up is a problem," Dawson said."The race on Saturday night is worth $30,000, but it could only attract a field of seven."My bloke needs racing, otherwise being such a good doer he tends to get away from me a bit. I am bloody hamstrung with the lack of racing, because I have nothing at home that can work with him, which makes it difficult for me to get him to the pitch that is needed when racing in the top grade."Special Albert, which is racing at Bankstown for the first time, will start from barrier three. Make Me Smile is drawn out in gate five. Louth Park reinsman Darren Elder will be chasing a double with Second Dollar and Ilika, which were both winners at the Newcastle trials on Wednesday night.Second Dollar will start from barrier four in race three (2140m).Ilika, which was a last-start seventh at Menangle, will need to overcome her second-row draw in race five (2140m) in which she has drawn gate nine.
© 2008 Newcastle Herald
