MALDON trainers Brian and Ashley McKnight are hoping they can turn a reasonably good week to an even better one on Friday.
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The father and son training team was stoked to pick up a city placing at Sandown on Wednesday with the emerging four-year-old sprinter San Marino, but hope to go one or two better with the rehabilitated middle-distance performer Savoie at Moonee Valley.
There is every indication that third-up, and after a respectable sixth in the Donald Cup, Savoie is starting to hit his straps.
The six-year-old gelding was once a Victoria Derby runner and was placed in the Group 2 Vase at Moonee Valley in 2018.
But that was three years ago and before a nasty tendon injury, lengthy rehabilitation and a couple of changes in trainer stalled his career for more than two years.
Ashley McKnight, who oversaw months of the gelding's rehab before the horse was sent to be trained by Patrick Payne, only to return to Maldon after encountering further issues, has not given up on Savoie recovering some semblance of good form.
Cautiously optimistic, he was encouraged by his last start effort, with Savoie boxing on well to finish 2.25-lengths behind country cups specialist Portland Jimmy at Donald.
"I thought he was pretty good in the Donald Cup. What people probably don't realise on TV is that the headwind in the straight there at Donald was horrendous," he said.
"He peeled out and looked like he was threatening and when they got to about the 100m it's like hitting a brick wall.
"Watching those races on Donald Cup day it was the horses that had the last go that were protected from the wind, either right on the outside getting protected by the frontrunners, or weaving back through on the inside that were winning.
"A couple of ours that day were similar, they loomed up and just peaked into that headwind.
"That said I think he is good chance back to a (benchmark) 64.
"Alana (Kelly) will take the ride again and will claim 3kg this time, which gets him back down to 60 kilos in that race.
"It looks pretty suitable for him, so hopefully from barrier seven he can get the job done. That would be nice."
McKnight is clinging to hope the stable's stayer in the making Oak Bridge will get a run under lights at the Valley.
The four-year-old is the first emergency in the benchmark 70 over 2040m and - despite the rise in grade - is due a slice of luck after going without any in his two starts this preparation at Echuca and Donald.
"He's up to the 2000m, where he needs to be. I know he's up in grade, but he drops a lot in weight," he said.
"I think he will run a huge race if he does happen to get a run. I'm very positive about him.
"He's going very well and is just very tough - he just doesn't know how not to run well. Being a Night Of Thunder, the further he goes the better he'll get."
While no match for the winner Kentucky Casanova, San Marino ran a bold race at odds of $26 to finish third at Sandown over 1200m on Wednesday.
The gelded son of Rich Enuff and Hostile Witness, formerly trained by Danny O'Brien, has now had three starts for the McKnights, finishing top-three in two of them and is a definite horse to follow as he attempts to add his second career win after just five starts.
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