CHAMPION trotting trainer Chris Lang hopes to honour the memory of his father Graeme and brother Gavin in the best manner possible, by notching a win or two on a race card entirely dedicated to the two harness racing legends at Lord's Raceway on Friday night.
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The Riddells Creek trainer has six runners across the 11-race all-trotting program, including one apiece in the two group 3 feature events named in honour of Graeme and Gavin, who both died earlier this year aged 87 and 61.
He will target the Graeme Lang Aldebaran Park Mile for two-year-old trotting fillies with Evas Image, before tackling the Gavin Lang Aldebaran Park Mile for two-year colts and geldings with Bullion Harry.
Following a tough year for the family and some recent health battles of his own, no one in harness racing could begrudge Lang the chance of a sentimental win or two on Friday night.
"It has (been tough) - it's been a long year or more with Gavin's illness and GA (Graeme) having the stroke," said Lang, a three-time Inter Dominion-winning trainer, who was forced to step away from training in 2015 for almost four years after being diagnosed with an autoimmune disease.
"It's been a very tough year on the whole family and we're all doing our best to put it behind us and move on.
"A win or two would be a nice to honour Gavin and GA."
Lang, on behalf of the family, expressed his thanks to the Bendigo Harness Racing Club and Harness Racing Victoria for dedicating a night to the memory of Graeme and Gavin, and also Aldebaran Park principal Duncan McPherson, whose vision ultimately led to the inception of a pair of new and exciting mile races for two-year-old trotters.
"The club has decided this the right way to honour the family shall we say and obviously I am glad to be a part of it," he said.
"Dare I say, while I'm on this side of the earth, I'll make the most of it."
"It is totally fitting for GA and Gavin that they get honoured this way and I m proud to be part of."
Lang hopes he can make his presence felt in at least one of the two feature races.
He declared Evas Image, who has drawn the pole in the fillies division, as his best chance of claiming Group 3 honours on the night.
"Her barrier draw helps her, while the other guy (Bullion Harry), the barrier draw is against him, so Evas Image would be my be my best hope," he said.
"She ran second in the Breeders Crown final at her last start when she drew 11, so number one is obviously quite a lot different over the shorter trip.
"I'm thinking this is a much better race for her.
"It's a very handy field again and (Breeders Crown winner) Sangreal will be tough to beat again, so it will be no pushover.
"There are a lot of good two-year-old trotters going around, both male and female, and you have to be right on the top of your game, otherwise you'll be beaten.
"It's really a reflection of the breeding, which has improved over the last 10 to 15 years, coming through the broodmares and the new sires coming from all over the world.
"We are almost getting to a world-standard now."
Elsewhere on the card, Lang is optimistic about the chances of Social Invasion, who will contest race three, the Lang Family Dynasty Two-year-old Trot (2150m).
The all-trotting meeting will feature several races bearing the names of champion horses either trained or driven by the Langs, including Scotch Notch, Wagon Apollo, Sumthingaboutmaori, Save Our Pennys and True Roman.
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