Ross McDonald says he couldn't be happier with Australian champion Weekend Hussler as he prepares to embark on an international campaign after he resumes in Saturday's Lightning Stakes at Flemington.Weekend Hussler hasn't previously started over the 1000m of the weight-for-age feature but McDonald has no fears that the four-year-old can land his eighth Group One win going on the way he has been working."He's got a little bit stronger and he's probably grown a little bit and the work he's been do
Ross McDonald says he couldn't be happier with Australian champion Weekend Hussler as he prepares to embark on an international campaign after he resumes in Saturday's Lightning Stakes at Flemington.
Weekend Hussler hasn't previously started over the 1000m of the weight-for-age feature but McDonald has no fears that the four-year-old can land his eighth Group One win going on the way he has been working.
"He's got a little bit stronger and he's probably grown a little bit and the work he's been doing, and he hasn't been asked (to do much), is frightening really," the Caulfield trainer said.
The gelding was timed to run 20.8 seconds for the last 400m of one of his lead-up gallops at Caulfield with track rider John Salanitri aboard.
McDonald pointed to Weekend Hussler's unbeaten record down the Flemington straight course with brilliant victories in the 2007 Ascot Vale Stakes and the 2008 Newmarket Handicap, both at 1200m.
The reigning Horse Of the Year will have five runs this preparation which could earn his connections nearly $10 million in prizemoney and bonuses.
Second-up he will contest the Australia Stakes (1200m) at Moonee Valley on February 14 before running in the Futurity (1600m) at Caulfield on February 28.
He will then head overseas for the Dubai Duty Free (1777m) at Nad Al Sheba in Dubai on March 28 and a month later the Champions Mile (1600m) at Sha Tin in Hong Kong.
There is huge prizemoney and associated bonuses for the Asian Mile challenge which takes in the Futurity, Dubai Duty Free and the Champions Mile.
If Weekend Hussler won all three he would pick up $3 million in bonuses.
Weekend Hussler for the first time meets Apache Cat, who holds both the Australian Sprinter of the Year title as well taking out the 2008 Global Sprint Challenge.
Apache Cat's trainer Greg Eurell, while having plenty of respect for Weekend Hussler, believes the baldy faced six-year-old is mentally and physically in tune to make it back-to-back Lightning victories.
"He's a little bit more forward than he was last year," he said.
"Expectations weren't high in this race last year. We were quite happy with his progress and would have been happy had he run a place, but fortunately he pulled it off and went on from there."
Apache Cat went on to win five straight Group One races, taking his career tally to six.
Eurell also respects the Bart Cummings-trained Swick, a renowned straight-track horse who went down by only a neck when runner-up in the 2008 Lightning before winning the Patinack Farm Classic (1200m) at Flemington last spring, a race in which Apache Cat finished eighth as favourite.
Swick's jockey Michael Rodd gives his mount a good chance of causing an upset.
"I think if they (Weekend Hussler and Apache Cat) are getting annoyed up front, and there is going to be plenty of pressure, they are going to be vulnerable being first-up," Rodd said.
"My bloke doesn't expend any energy until the last furlong (200m) so I'm sure that he can run over the top of them."
Eskander's Betstar has installed Weekend Hussler, who hasn't raced since finishing 12th in the Caulfield Cup (2400m) in October, as $1.85 favourite for the Lightning.
Clear second elect is Apache Cat at $3.30 ahead of Scenic Blast at $11, Grand Duels at $13, three-year-old colt Wilander at $15 with Swick and Typhoon Zed next best at $17.
The Lightning is the opening leg of the eight-race 2009 Global Sprint Challenge held in Australia, Great Britain, Japan and Hong Kong.