Loaded Owners Has Weight-For-Age Ambitions
- Saturday, 06 February 2010 00:39
It could be argued that trainer Jason Clifford has bitten off more than he can chew pitting his rising star Loaded Owners against the best weight-for-age horses in Tasmania this coming monday.
But the punters certainly dont think so - and either does Clifford.
"If my horse can run out the 1400m as well as he does 1200m well I don't think he can be beaten," said Clifford after trackwork on Friday.
Loaded Owners is the local favourite for the $80,000 listed Thomas Lyons Stakes only shaded in the betting by the Victorian, Group One placed, Royal Ida.
Despite never having met a field of this calibre Loaded Owners has had no problem disposing of his opposition having won five of his six local starts by an average winning margin of 3.5 lengths.
Of course Clifford is not discounting the proven Royal Ida or in from local pair Twenty Grand and Moulin Rouge.
"I respect Royal Ida's form, especially the run behind Black Caviar, but he has boated over and that is always a worry," said Clifford.
"The locals are both good horses but Brendan (McCoull) has ridden both and chosen to ride my horse which says enough."
"He won like a very good horse last start," Clifford added.
The only blemish on Loaded Owners scrapbook comes from a second up defeat to the Gary White trained Emily's Girl at Devonport but Clifford is not dwelling on the run.
"I had a virus go through the stable and he wasn't himself that day," said Clifford.
"He was relaxed which is normally a good thing, but it's not him and he is back to being bullish and full of himself now."
"I've had his blood done and he is spot on this week," he added.
Win, lose or draw the experience of weight-for-age pressure is important in the development of any top-liner and Loaded Owners is a Tasmanian horse with Victorian ambitions.
