After failed attempts in 2012 and 2013 to contest the Great Southern Star highly-credentialed American squaregaiter Imperial Count will finally make his Australian harness racing debut at Tabcorp Park Melton on Friday night.
Raced by prominent owner Neven Botica, Imperial Count will debut for the David Aiken camp in the race named after Botica’s former champion, the Aldebaran Park Sundons Gift Trotters Free-for-All over 2240 metres.
Imperial Count is a seven-year-old stallion by Angus Hall from Miss Imperial and boasts a rate of 1:53.2 in North America.
The 17-time winner has had one start in the Southern Hemisphere, finishing last behind Sheemon in September 2014 when he bled and was stood down afterwards.
Aiken has given the trotter three trials, but says he will most likely need the run.
“His trials have been really good. We’ll see how he goes but he’ll need the racing,” Aiken said.
“At home he works like a nice horse and he’s great to have around the place.”
It was reported in October 2013 that Imperial Count could line up in the 2014 Great Southern Star after missing the 2013 series due to a “last-minute hiccup”.
He stood at Lemon Tree Stud in Shepparton for a season before joining the Aiken camp at Avenel.
Aiken’s latest stable acquisition will start from gate seven and gives the trainer two former Americans in the Group 3 trot, the other being My High Expectations, which will begin barrier 10.
Master reinsman Gavin Lang will steer Imperial Count, with David to take the reins on My High Expectations.
-
HRV Media