Jot down the name Sequoiahs Spirit as another horse bound for the $100,000 Ssangyong Kilmore Pacing Cup next month.

Trainer Glenn Douglas today confirmed the Group 1 feature was the primary target for the boom five-year-old who resumes this Friday night at Moonee Valley.

“Everything we’ll do with him is aimed at getting a start at Kilmore,” Douglas explained.

“He’s a good standing start horse and given what he’s shown us so far he’ll be suited in a race like the Kilmore Cup.

“We drive him tough and we drive him like a monster, but just wait until you see his speed when he gets a quiet trip in a better race like that.

“As it stands, we’ve got a few different paths to get there so we’ll make our mind up where he heads next after Friday night.”

A winner at 11 of his 15 starts, the Kiwi-bred faces a difficult first-up assignment drawn gate seven in the $15,000 Alabar Bloodstock Pace (2090m) this Friday night.

“Unfortunately he’s drawn another bad barrier, but Gavin’s (Lang) on and he’s got him to the line from seven before so that will help,” Douglas said.

First up from an eight week layoff, Sequoiahs Spirit is rated a $2.20 favourite, despite the bad alley, ahead of Blakey ($6) and Two Jakes ($6).

The meeting shapes as a big one for Douglas who has two horses engaged in the $20,000 Battle Of The Claimers Final including heat winner and $2.50 pre-post favourite Bryces Pride.

“He looks really well graded and I’ve got to say he’ll be hard to beat,” Douglas declared.

“He likes to be up on the speed, either in front or outside the leader, that’s why we dropped his claiming price to $6000 for this series so we’d get this good barrier (three).”

Gavin Lang will partner 10-year-old Bryces Pride in the 2090-metre feature, whilst Todd Matthews will drive 11-year-old stablemate Hanover Zip who’s rated a $6 chance from gate six.

- Source from Harnesslink (Sep 15, 2005) -