Victorians looking to clean sweep Golden Apple heats

Shepparton-based trainer Conor Crook will be hoping the Victorians can make a clean sweep of the Lees Orchard Tassie Golden Apple in Launceston on Sunday night.

The Allan McDonough-trained and driven Blitzern made a statement in the opening heat two weeks ago when scoring by 24.5m, stamping himself as the favourite for the final next Saturday night.

Conor has Fynn Frost engaged in the second and final heat on Sunday night.

He had the gelded son of Always A Virgin nominated for the opening heat, but he failed to make the field due to his low rating.

Instead, Conor elected to contest a rating 70 to 79 event over 1680m, where he was defeated 8.6m after starting from a second-row draw.

“I probably should have scratched him two weeks ago, he didn’t travel over that brilliant, and then I set him a bit of a task in the run.

“Rohan Hillier is looking after him and said he has come on since,” explained Conor.

Sunday’s race will be the fifth for the winner of 15 races since joining Conor’s care.

“I was driving him for Amanda Grieve, and he was going very good, but wasn’t up to metropolitan level, so they put him on the market, so I got some owners together to purchase him,” said Conor.

Fynn Frost has had standing start experience back in New Zealand, registering four wins and seven placings from behind the tapes.

“I have given him a few practices at home, and he seems really good. I think if he steps and settles on speed, he can give them a bit of a scare.

“Unfortunately, I have too much work to do at home to go down and drive him, but I’m fortunate enough to get Todd Rattray to drive him for me and he has a good record in the race,” explained Conor.

The race favourite is 2019 winner Ryley Major who will start from the 30m back mark, with progressive talents Mister Gently, The Brooklyn Brawler and Jawbreaker, the only runners in single figures in early markets.

Sunday’s heat is race four on the nine-race card, and is set down for 19:32, with the opening race scheduled for 18:03.