The Shark Demands Respect
30 November, 2016
Harness
With the third and final round of Inter Dominion heats rapidly approaching, last year’s champion Lennytheshark is looking to bounce back to form.
Lennytheshark won the first heat at Gloucester Park on the 25th of November and then ran fourth in the sixth heat at Bunbury on Tuesday.
Trainer David Aiken and driver Chris Alford have accompanied the Victorian gelding across the Nullarbor yet again this year.
Master reinsman Chris Alford is no rookie when it comes to driving in Western Australia, having two Inter Dominion titles already under his belt.
Alford told TABradio’s The Sports Daily that “They drive hard over here and they race hard, you’ve got to respect how they do it and adapt to it.”
Alford was asked about Lennytheshark’s unexpected fourth place on Tuesday night;
“He was stuck in a hard spot, drew bad and couldn’t really put him in the race early because even though the tempo wasn’t good I’m pretty sure Chris Lewis would’ve parked him three wide for the rest of the trip so it would’ve just been suicide.”
Although it was a disappointing run for punters, Alford avoided a gut busting run mid series that could flatten the horse for the remaining races.
“Hopefully Friday in the final (heat) if he draws bad there’s a lot more speed on; I don’t think anyone’s ever given him much respect, I don’t think anyone has ever handed him off the phone,” said Alford.
“I think he’s no worse and probably 5% better, he’s sound and feeling well.”
In Lennytheshark’s final heat he will be up against Bettors Fire who won heat 2 last Friday and Run Oneover who finished second in heat 3 and smashed the track record in heat 4 on Tuesday.
Other tough competitors who will be looking for a finals run are; Bling It On who defeated Lennytheshark in heat 6, Hectorjayjay who has won both of his heats, and Beaudiene Boaz who finished a very close second to Lennytheshark in the opening heat last Friday.
Rebecca Shanks