News Article
Xmas May Come Early For Gift In Sprint
08 December 2009
Champion trotter is searching for his first Aldebaran Park Bill Collins Trotters Sprint crown
Sundons Gift's record in the Aldebaran Park Bill Collins Trotters Sprint - eighth in 2007 and third last year - is not a record that sits comfortably with his standing as the undisputed champion of Australian squaregaiting.
Having just added an historic third consecutive SEW-Eurodrive Australian Trotting Grand Prix to his status as the reigning Inter Dominion champion, Sundons Gift is already a modern great, but feature sprint success has proven elusive.
Master Nagambie trainer Chris Lang is keen to set the record straight in tonight's $50,000 Group 1 Tabcorp Park, Melton.
"If he was able to win the feature mile, it would add to his legacy for sure," Lang said. "In this part of the world it would enhance his reputation as a great horse who could win over any distance."
The key to climbing the final summit of an extraordinary career may lie six months ago and 15,000-kilometres away in Sweden where Lang and Sundons Gift campaigned against the world's best in pursuit of trotting's Holy Grail - the iconic Elitlopp last May.
"Before he went over to Sweden he had issues with his manners," Lang said.
"Over there I did some things with him to fit in with the Europeans that I might not have been brave enough to do otherwise.
"But having seen the way they do things over there we changed a few things and they seemed to have worked with him so far."
Evidence of the positive effect this alteration in training has had, was there for all to see in last Friday night's Grand Prix.
Sundons Gift showed uncustomary gate speed to lead an elite field from barrier three and maintain a track-record breaking tempo throughout to break his rivals' hearts.
"He's been renowned throughout his career as a tough stayer and while staying is still his strength, I think people missed him running a 1:53.8-second mile rate running sixth against the world's best in his Elitlopp heat," Lang said. "He's got new speed these days."
The stumbling blocks to Sundons Gift tonight will be both an awkward draw in gate 10 and his stablemate, budding superstar Skyvalley, who drew ideally in gate three.
"I maintain that Skyvalley was the run of the race in the Grand Prix," Lang said. "He has even higher speed than Sundons Gift too, so he's the one to beat."
The Aldebaran Park Stud Bill Collins Trotters Sprint - race six on the program - is the main entrée to the SEW-Eurodrive Victoria Cup and is scheduled to run at 8.40pm.
