Latest News

By Ray Hickson

It won’t be too long before lightly raced gelding The Main Event makes his way to Highway grade if trainer Terry Robinson’s view is correct as he chases his maiden victory at Sapphire Coast on Sunday.

Trainer Terry Robinson (Pic: Bradley Photos).

The four-year-old put the writing on the wall for a breakthrough in the Coachman’s Motel Eden Handicap (1200m) when he resumed from eight months off the scene with a closing second at Moruya two weeks ago.

Robinson said he has high hopes for The Main Event and would like to think he can get on his way second-up.

“He’s a horse I do like and I think he will go on to be more than handy,’’ Robinson said.

“He was an immature sort of horse and his constitution wasn’t quite what you’d like and I think the spell did him a world of good.

“He’s drawn lovely, I’m really happy with how he’s progressed since his first-up run where he didn’t have much luck.

“I thought his run was extremely good and I’m very happy with him.”

The Main Event drew the outside barrier in the 1010m dash first-up and Robinson was happy enough for the gelding to be conservatively ridden.

It’ll likely be a different story as he’s come up with barrier one at the Sapphire Coast and he said he’d expect some advantage to be taken from it.

“He hadn’t raced for nine months and when he drew the outside first-up and I just didn’t think it was worth going forward on him after a long time off. It was great to see him hit the line,’’ he said.

“I don’t expect him to lead but I’ll leave that up to Nick (Heywood).

“He can get a bit keen and that’s another reason why we went back first-up but from the draw he will obviously be handier.”

There’d probably not be a more frustrating case in Robinson’s yard than six-year-old Airliner who looks to break a long drought in the Eden Sport & Rec Club Plate (1600m).

From 24 starts he’s won just the one race with a few placings but in his current preparation which started back in November he’s managed six fourths and five fifth placings.

“He’s been a disappointing horse, he did show a lot of potential early,’’ he said.

“He’s had a few problems and I think he knows that, he just hasn’t let down as he should in his races.

“He’s obviously consistent, he runs a lot of fourths and fifths. He’s well placed in a Class 1 and maiden.

“It’s frustrating for the owners, he’s near there but not quite. He’s got blinkers on and hopefully that might help him a bit.”

The Main Event runs second at Moruya on July 11

Robinson said he’s likely to back Deni Gal up in the South Coast Fish Processors Handicap (1200m) after she claimed her fifth win at Moruya on Monday.

“She has done well and she does look well placed, it doesn’t look like being a big field,’’ he said.

“At this stage I’m leaning toward running her. She’s been an honest mare and it’s nice she’s got back in the winner’s circle.”

All the fields, form and replays for Sunday’s Sapphire Coast meeting