The new training partnership of John Ledger and son Chris will try for a breakthrough metropolitan win at Flemington on Saturday with exciting prospect Better Be Sure.
The Wangaratta-based co-trainers have had 10 runners for three wins including their first runner Olimpica at Bendigo on November 24.
Ledger has had some good horses including Sandown Classic winner Brave Chief, Autumn Stakes winner Blaze The Turf and Rubiton Stakes winner Mind Your Head.
But the partnership with 27-year-old Chris marks the beginning of a new era.
Better Be Sure is nominated for the Johnstaff Projects Handicap (1410m) and will be ridden by Mark Pegus who has been on board the Not A Single Doubt four-year-old in each of his three wins this preparation.
The gelding has been impressive racking up a hat-trick of wins at Seymour, Wangaratta and Wodonga.
“There were four races that were picked out for him when he was in the spelling paddock and he’s conquered three of them and there’s one to go,” Ledger said.
“He’s a very, very exciting horse. He’s one of the most exciting prospects I’ve had the pleasure of training.
“He was bred by Howard and Jean Martin who bred Better Loosen Up at Berrigan.”
His dam Rulable, prepared at Corowa by Richard Freyer, won 12 races including three in Melbourne as well as a Berrigan Cup.
Better Be Sure is raced by Howard Martin Jnr and his two sisters.
“As a two-year-old he didn’t have the sesamoids attached properly to his tendons and we were told that he would be lucky to make the racetrack,” Ledger said.
“He had a stem cell operation on both his fetlocks as a late two-year-old and he was put in the paddock for 12 months.
“He was scanned as a late three-year-old and they had attached pretty well and touching wood he’s been really good since.
“To the vet’s knowledge the operation hadn’t been successfully done before.”
Stablemate Very Humorous, a grand-daughter of Blaze The Turf who has won her two starts this campaign on her home track, is entered in the Victoria University Handicap (1000m) but a decision on a start has yet to be made.
The Ledgers has their first city starter, Nicholls Court, at Caulfield last Saturday but he jarred up on the firm track when finishing 10th behind Canali.
He will have his next start over 1200m at Flemington on Saturday week.
AAP TURF
