Pukekohe harness racing trainer Todd MacFarlane is never one in our opinion to hype up a young horse but talking to Todd today one got the distinct impression he might make an exception for his exciting young trotter, Cyclone Chief.
Last season at two, the big overgrown son of The Pres impressed everyone late in the season with a great run for fourth in the Harness Jewels and then produced an even better effort for an unlucky second in the final of the Australasian Breeders Crown at Tabcorp Park,Melton.
Given a good break after his Australian trip, Cyclone Chief has slowly but surely started to fill out into his big frame and Todd is happy with his progress this time in.
"He has won his two workouts in the last fortnight but I didn't push him too hard as it is still early in this campaign."
" For all that he is pretty forward for Friday night and I am expecting a big run," Todd told Harnesslink earlier today.
While Cyclone Chief didn't run time in either of his workouts victories, he did show his trademark speed last Saturday when he brushed over the last 800 metres in 58.9 and the 400 metres in a very quick 27.4.
Safely through Friday night, Todd has a suitable program mapped out for Cyclone Chief.
" The aim is to line him up on both of the premier nights in early March and then give him a brief break."
" Then all going well, we would set him for the Sires Stakes Final and the Northern Trotting Derby at Alexandra Park in late April and then onwards to the Harness Jewels at Cambridge.
" A trip to Addington for the New Zealand Trotting Derby in early April doesn't fit into the plan and it is very unlikely we will head south this season," Todd said.
Todd has been around the industry long enough to know that Cyclone Chief still has to make that step up again from what he did last season but feels he is showing all the signs of doing just that.
" Everything seems to be on track so far but the next few weeks will tell us a lot more about where we are at overall."
" He will tell us by his performances if we are moving in the right direction," Todd said.
Harnesslink Media