Bernie Hewitt is looking to add to Mackeral’s impressive streak as the four-year-old chases another Riverina feature.
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After winning the Cherry Festival Cup at Young three starts ago, Mackeral is set to start favourite in the Temora Pacers Cup on Saturday.
He hasn’t missed the placings in his last nine starts, including feature wins at Young and Parkes in the last six weeks.
Drawn barrier two, the Bathurst trainer is hoping to dictate terms from in front.
“He’s drawn good and I’m hoping he goes pretty good in that field” Hewitt said.
“He’s got terrific gate speed …. and like on a lot of those smaller half mile tracks if you’re in front you take a lot of beating.
“I feel he’ll acquit himself well from that good draw.”
Hewitt rated last year’s winner Saloon Passage, who he drove last time out, as the hardest to beat in the small field.
He is still plotting a course to the group one Chariots Of Fire with Mackeral.
It could be a big night with Hewitt also lining up well fancied runners in the two three-year-old features on the card.
Make Mine Memphis was sixth behind Muscle Factory in an Australasian record of 1:49.6 last week and looks much better suited here.
“I think he’ll run a really good race, I’m still working him out but he has got a lot of ability,” Hewitt said.
“Hopefully he can handle that field.”
Hewitt also has Bettor Sport engaged in the race and well drawn in barrier one.
His brother Dave looks to be his biggest danger with Heart Of Cooper returning to Temora, where he won earlier this season.
Kept In Play also resumes in the three-year-old fillies feature.
She raced the best last season and after one run for Hewitt at the end of the season, he was happy with her winning trial performance.
“She was sort at the end of her tether a bit, doing a few things wrong, so we gave her a good spell and she’s come back bigger and stronger,” Hewitt said.
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