WHEN premier trainers David and Scott Brunton first presented Streetwise Savoire at the races as a two-year-old in January 2012 they were excited about his prospects.
Just over two years on they remain confident that the gelded son of Savoire Vivre still has the potential to develop into a genuine weight-for-age performer.
In Launceston tonight Streetwise Savoire will be aiming to register a hat trick of wins and so impressive has he been in winning at his past two outings punters are likely to send him around a short priced favourite in the Benchmark 78 Handicap over 1400 metres.
“This horse has been a very frustrating horse to train what with him being a late scratching at the barrier five times and he also has had other issues along the way,” Scott Brunton said.
“But we’ve tinkered with a few things, persevered with others and it looks as though we have finally got him heading in the right direction,” he said.
Streetwise Savoire has been spectacular at his past two outings in Launceston winning both impressively.
“It is really good to have this horse back to his best and if he replicates his recent form he should be very hard to beat.”
“He has developed a consistent racing pattern and that’s getting out the back and coming with a late burst to win.”
“That’s the way he’s been ridden successfully and we have David Pires on and there is probably no jockey riding better than David of late so we are obviously confident of this horse making it three in succession.”
“We’ve opted not to claim on him and book a senior rider to see how he goes at this level with a bit of weight on his back,” he said.
The obvious danger is the Adam Trinder-trained Obligation (Brendon McCoull) that was backed for a stack to win a BM78 over 1400 metres on Launceston Cup day but he had to settle for third to Streetwise Savoire, beaten 1.6 lengths.
Brunton also is expecting his in-form mare Chiming to make it three wins in succession when she goes around in the Apprentices Invitation race (race five) over 1600 metres.
Chiming has been very impressive in winning at her past two outings that followed a failure first-up in Hobart in mid January.
She went back to the trials after her first-up flop but her recent form has been nothing short of outstanding.
“We’ve got a lot of time for this mare,” Brunton said.
“She’s been a great asset to the stable winning four and running a place from six starts for us so she obviously has plenty of ability,” he said.
Chiming gets into tonight’s race nicely at the weights.
“We were lucky in that our stable apprentice Tyson Buck was drawn to ride her and that’s a big bonus.”
“A couple of the better chances in the race drew apprentices that don’t claim any weight advantage so our mare will go around carrying 55.5 kg in a BM 68 and she carried 54 kg to win a BM 78 last start over the same track and distance,” he said.
Connections will contemplate an interstate trip with Chiming but her immediate main mission could be the Deloraine Cup over 1880m at Spreyton where she has won twice on the synthetic surface.