DEVONPORT harness racing trainer Mick Maxfield is hoping his talented three-year-old Driller Mac can give him his second success in a Group feature race in Victoria next month.
Maxfield owned Village Driller that won the 2004 Group 1 $100,000 Vicbred 3YO final at Moonee Valley to be the fist Tasmanian-owned horse to have won the title.
Driller Mac is being aimed at the $180,000 Group 1 Breeders Crown final at Melton next month and while Maxfield knows his horse still has a way to go before he warrants a berth in the race he is optimistic about his chances.
Driller Mac resumed from a two-month break with an impressive all-the-way win in Launceston.
“I think he is up there with my best horses but he still has to prove himself,” Maxfield said.
Driller Mac will contest a Breeders Crown heat in Hobart on Sunday and if he emerges triumphant the trainer will book the gelding’s passage by sea to Victoria.
“If he wins his Breeders Crown heat on Sunday =- and he wins well – he’ll definitely go over to Melbourne for the semi-finals.
“But it won’t be easy because he’ll have Hugo Play to contend with and he is racing in great form,” Maxfield said.
Hugo Play won the Globe Derby Stakes and followed up with an impressive win against older horses in Launceston.
He failed at his most recent outings when 10th of 12 in a C1-C2 but he finished only 6.4 metres from the winner and never got a clear run at them over the concluding stages.
Maxfield said he will take Driller Mac’s regular Tasmanian driver Paul Ashwood to Melbourne to drive the horse if he makes the trip.