MARTINO WANTS DRY TRACK FOR ALL STAR
The well-bred four-year-old lines up in the opener, the Midway Benchmark 72 Handicap (1800m).
All Star has had an interrupted preparation, firstly because of rain and then because of balloting conditions.
He was to have raced at his home track on October 15 in a Midway Benchmark 68 Handicap (1500m), but wet weather forced his withdrawal.
Martino then nominated All Star for last Saturday’s $500,000 Four Pillars (1500m) at Randwick, but he was well down the order of entry and was balloted out.
At least he can take some comfort from the fact that fellow Hawkesbury trainer Marc Chevalier won the race with Stand My Ground.
“Because I missed the October 15 race with All Star, I gave him a tick-over trial at home on October 20,” Martino said this evening.
“He trialled really well over 1250m, finishing a close second to Stand My Ground.
“All Star is ready to go back to the races tomorrow, and is in good order.
“I feel he will manage the 1800m provided the track is dry.”
All Star has won up to 1500m, and was runner-up to Barrengarry in a 1600m Midway Benchmark 72 Handicap at Randwick on September 19 on a good surface.
He hasn’t raced since finishing sixth to Philatelic in another Midway Benchmark 72 over tomorrow’s course on October 3.
Reece Jones will be a new rider for All Star tomorrow, but has had experience on the stallion in a trial.
He rode him at the beginning of the horse’s current preparation when he won a 1250m heat at Hawkesbury on August 24.
Martino has done a splendid job with the son of I Am Invincible, who fetched $1.2m as a 2024 Inglis Australian Easter yearling, but was put on the market after three unplaced starts in Sydney as a two-year-old.
He was subsequently sold online for $80,000 in May last year.
Apart from his three wins (all at the provincials) for Martino, he has been placed on five occasions.
In an interesting Midway Benchmark 72 tomorrow, All Star is at a seemingly generous $13 with TAB.com.au.
Barrengarry’s stablemate Cabbucio (apprentice Coriah Keatings) and Randwick trainer John Thompson’s last start Kembla Grange winner La Morra (Chad Schofield) are disputing favoritism at $3.70.
