CHRIS Svanosio concedes that his stable star Magicool faces a tough task against the might of Tornado Valley in Friday's Group 2 Aldebaran Park Maori Mile at Lord's Raceway.
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Svanosio, who only just recently relocated his training base from Bendigo to Romsey, had no hesitation in declaring the Andy Gath-trained gelding as the horse to beat in the $50,000 trotting feature.
"It will be very, very hard - I'd say Tornado Valley looks the likely leader and that is going to make things very tough for us," Svanosio said.
"But that's who our horse has to race now, the likes of Tornado Valley and Dance Craze, who is absolutely flying.
"To be honest, the whole field is going well, but they are the two who have got the score on the board and Tornado Valley has drawn the best."
That's not to say Svanosio has relinquished hopes of what would be a popular win with Magicool, a winner of 13 of his 27 career starts.
The six-year-old gelding has beaten Tornado Valley home before, most notably in the Group 3 Yarra Valley Trotters Cup (2650m) in November, when the Gath-trained star had to settle for third.
Tornado Valley took the honours a month later in the Group 3 Cranbourne Cup, with Dance Craze second and Magicool third, while the trio's most recent clash in the Group 3 R.C. Freestone Trotters Free For All at Melton on December 21 delivered a win for the Anton Golino-trained Dance Craze.
Svanosio is adamant where his best chance of an upset win lies.
"It would be good if I could come out and find a spot in the first four early, that would be terrific," he said.
"We'll soon find out how much gate speed he has against these real good horses.
"His last start, he drew awkwardly inside the second row and he didn't have a lot of luck, but he didn't finish off quite as well either.
"But he's worked well since then and had a couple of weeks off in between runs.
"His start before that at Cranbourne was terrific, he ran third to Tornado Valley and Dance Craze and was taking ground off them on the line.
"Hopefully he can bounce back to something like that form."
The Maori Mile holds plenty of sentimental value for Svanosio.
His win aboard Sparkling Success in 2018 delivered the talented trainer-driver the first Group 1 victory of his career.
"He set the track record that night - he absolutely jogged in," Svanosio said.
"I'd love to get another win in the race and on my home track - it's great just having a runner in the race among these great trotters.
"Hopefully he can measure up to them."
Svanosio said he rapt to see one of his loyal band of stable workers Tayla French get an opportunity to drive in the $70,000 Group 2 Bendigo Pacing Cup.
The talented young reinswoman will partner the outsider Form Analyst, who is trained by her father Terry at Heathcote.
"It's a great thrill for her and her dad," Svanosio said.
"She hasn't been driving all that long, but she is doing a great job and starting to get regular metropolitan drives at Melton.
"It will be a good experience for her driving in her hometown cup."
Svanosio expects to target Sunday's Cobram Pacing Cup with Repeat After Me.
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