Emerging young trainer Alex Rae is hoping Shock ‘Em Ova (NZ) (Shocking) can put his name up in lights to kick-start 2023 when his undefeated galloper returns to The Valley on Saturday.
Jake Noonan will don the famous silks of Colin McKenna for the first time aboard the four-year-old who was last seen in July when circling his rivals over 2040-metres for an impressive win.
The $26,000 bargain buy from Karaka will return over 1600 metres on Saturday.
“Fortunately enough the owners decided to take the conservative approach with him and we gave him a break after his win at Moonee Valley and he’s just come back bigger and stronger as we’d hoped,” Rae explained.
“He has had a really nice slow build-up.
“He is obviously stepping out at the mile first-up on Saturday but he’s ready to put in a forward performance.”
Rae is no stranger to a smart horse with eight city winners already in his short career, striking at 17 percent to winners and 39 percent placegetters when testing horses at metropolitan level.
Despite plans to step his galloper out beyond 2000-metres this campaign, Rae has faith in his horse’s natural ability and won’t be surprised if he can notch a hat trick of wins.
“From my perspective the horse has been faultless in his preparation and has a significant amount of talent so it’s going to take him a long way,” Rae professed.
“He is certainly fit enough and ready to go and he’s starting at Benchmark 70 level so we expect him to be right in the finish.
“He has obviously been beating up on the Under 19’s and now he has to take the step to the seniors and we’re really confident he will.
“It’s very exciting and world is his oyster.”
