ALBURY-trainer Chris Chant is optimistic his erratic mare Sports Alive can upset favourite Spiral Jet after drawing gate two for the final of the $3000 Barry McBride Border Battlers Final, (2170m), at the Albury Paceway tonight.
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Heats were conducted at the club’s most recent meeting on December 18 with Sports Alive and Spiral Jet both recording impressive victories in their respective heats.
Sports Alive settled at the tail of the field before unleashing a powerful sprint down the home straight to defeat The Stingray by a neck with Lord Raglan finishing third.
The Annetto Mifsud-trained Spiral Jet resumed from a spell and was heavily crunched in betting to take out the other heat in the fastest mile rate of the two winners.
Driven by Rita Burnett, Spiral Jet benefited from some slow mid-race sectionals to demolish his rivals by over 20 metres.
Chant is confident Sports Alive can find the front in the final from the favourable draw and then has the option of handing-up if Spiral Jet attacks for the lead.
“I’m happy with the draw but Rita’s horse looks very hard to beat, it went super in the heat,” Chant said.
“If the right Sports Alive turns up and decides to try then she will be competitive but she has got an attitude.
“The draw gives us a chance to get to the fence and then we have the option whether to hand up and take a sit on Spiral Jet’s back.
“She’s a funny horse but if she puts in they will know she’s there.”
Since winning her heat Sports Alive ran at Melton last Friday to finish a distant third behind Madame Lily.
“I thought her last start run at Melton was disappointing,” Chant said.
“She should have definitely ran second easily.
“When she took off three wide to make a run, she seemed to switch off straight away and I wasn’t happy with the way she found the line.
“Hopefully she can find a bit more tonight but Burnett’s horse probably just leads and wins.”
In-form driver John Scott replaces Jackson Painting in the sulky tonight.