Ford has faith in the Lord

JOCKEY Jay Ford targets tomorrow’s Goulburn and District Racing Club meeting (see form guide p27) for a hit-and-run raid on the old Nowra warhorse Lord Zebedee, in the 1400 metre handicap (Benchmark 55) fourth event.

Mission Impossible for a young rider who, only a few years ago, was the toast of Royal Ascot aboard Takeover Target, a battling smalltime trainer and a wonky-legged 8- YO gelding?

Probably, but sentiment and a romantic desire to see country racing produce yet another feel-good story say nothing’s utterly impossible for those who live in hope. Lord Zebedee hasn’t raced for eight months, and Nowra trainer Sam Pignataro has worked minor miracles to even get the old boy back into competitive fettle.

Like Takeover Target, who was a despised and dubiously conformed cast-off from the Big Smoke when Joe Janiak and Ford guided the great sprinter from Queanbeyan to Royal Ascot and back, training challenges have been something of a blessing for Lord Zebedee.

As a arising 9-YO, the most unfashionably bred son of Akhadan has had to be so sparingly raced that he’s fronting the starter for only the 35th time in Goulburn tomorrow. Still, he’s managed to win six times, with another half dozen placings, to earn close to $45,000 around bucolic circuits.

Perhaps earning another grand here for sneaking third wouldn’t be too much to imagine. No way, though, that the hit-run visit could lob a surprise hand grenade on Danny Williams’ impressive locally owned and trained galloper Alshain, surely?

Alshain, a 4YO by the successful US sire Stravinsky from the New Zealand mare Zabrina (by champion sire Zabeel), bolted in over 1300 metres in a reasonable quality Maiden here on April 6 at just his fourth start. Ridden again by star Sydney apprentice Josh Adams, Alshain will start short in the market - certainly the day’s best bet if you think evens is better than Building Society interest.

The confident team of owners and stable followers led by Alan Cardy, Simon Poidevin and the astute Mr Williams could have minor palpitations at some stage, though.

If topweight Noverre Man reproduces his April 3 performance at Gundagai when he started favourite and finished second over 1400 metres after popular young rider Billy Owen dropped his whip in the straight, they might need a stiff drink to recover.