Extra Gear Earns Opportunity at Egg

SIX weeks ago, a trip to Sydney with Extra Gear for a tilt at the Group 1 Golden Easter Egg was the furthest thing from Victorian trainer Ray Henness's mind.

"He's basically forced me to have a crack at the race, six weeks ago I wouldn't have given it a second thought," declared Henness on Friday.

Watch Extra Gear's spectacular Meadows win last Saturday night

On the strength of three pulsating Meadows victories in the past 16 days, Extra Gear will tackle prelude 12 (race 6) of the Ladbrokes Golden Easter Egg at Wentworth Park on Saturday night, the son of Nitro Burst drawn box seven for his Sydney debut.

And as it turns out, Saturday night will be his trainers Wentworth Park debut as well.

"Nope, I've never been to Wentworth Park so Saturday night will be the first time. I'll leave at around 6am on Saturday morning and give myself plenty of time, hopefully I find the place okay!"

Winner at 21 of his 62 starts, Extra Gear, a son of Nitro Burst and Magic Matese, has been a terrific chaser for Henness, elevating his form to another level recently, with a sizzling Geelong success in 25.55 followed by three slashing Meadows victories, the fastest in 29.80.

"He started favourite for the Ready 2 Race Championship at Sandown in November and went poorly,” explained Henness.

“After that he had a toe operated on that was causing him issues. He actually had two operations on the toe but it in the end we had to have it taken off and since that he hasn't looked back, his form has been great. It can go two ways when you have a toe off.

"I was tossing up whether to just trial him at Wenty before the Egg heats next week but he's such a good chaser and traveler the hit-out first up won't do him any harm, he generally races well first up at tracks.

"Had he drawn boxes 1,2 or 3 I would have been pretty confident but from seven he will need luck early to find the rails, if he does he's in with a shot. I'd like to see him sitting second or third down the back."

Purchased for $8,000 at the Ready 2 Race Auctions, a purchase that's proven to be a rather shrewd one with his earnings currently sitting at $61,000, Henness has another Auction graduate engaged on Saturday night, with Peter Yap going around in race nine at The Meadows.

"We paid $4,000 for him, he's coming towards the end of his career but he's very honest and he's a decent chance on Saturday, he always is," said Henness of Peter Yap, tackling the Sky Racing Final (525m) from box five.

Not to be done there, on what could be a big Saturday night for Henness' Heathcote kennels, Positive Gearing will step out at Shepparton, the son of Moreira lining up from box eight in the fourth event on the card, a final over 390 metres.

"He's a nice pup but the 390m is a bit short of his best, he's more of a 450/500m dog but he's heading the right way," added Henness.

"Harrison Goss who works here has the five in the race Pictor Lucy and the Syndicate we run owns the two, Roger That, so there's a bit going on. I'd say the pink (Positive Gearing) is the best of the chances though.

"I'm looking to the Launching Pad with Positive Gearing along with another in the kennels Chiquita Lass, it's a great series to be involved in with the prizemoney on offer, you can make good money without winning."

While Henness has a three-pronged attack on Saturday across NSW and Victoria, he's quite upbeat about the prospects of It's A Bull in the west, the son of Allen Deed drawn box one at Cannington.

"He's a seriously fast dog, he'd trial you 29.80 every day of the week at The Meadows," added Henness.

"I sent him over to Steve Shinners for some confidence and Steve said to me the other day he's the fastest dog he's had since he's been over there (in WA). I haven't looked at the rest of the race but he'll be very hard to beat from box one, no matter what's in it."