Racing: Team hope star can do it on Friday

Mark Purdon drives I Can Doosit. Photo / Getty Images

The next step in I Can Doosit's stellar career won't be about money, glory or glamour.

Because when the champion trotter steps on to the track for the Dominion Handicap at Addington on Friday he will be racing for love.

The freak took his unbeaten winning streak to 16, with a stunning victory in the $80,000 NZ Trotting Free-For-All at Addington yesterday, assuring him of red hot favouritism for Friday.

While adding the only missing gem to his crown, the Dominion, will seal I Can Doosit's place as one of our greatest-ever trotters, for co-owner Ken Breckon the race means much more than that.

"I want him to win on Friday for my dad," Breckon told the Herald.

"Dad has been pretty sick. He has got cancer and has had three courses of chemotherapy.

"So he is going through a tough time and he loves the horses.

"Friday is his birthday and he will be watching from home so we want to win this one for him."

It will be a scary thought for his rivals; I Can Doosit with added personal motivation, and he could start one of the shortest-priced favourites in the history of the great race.

He treated his rivals with utter contempt yesterday, sitting parked outside The Fiery Ginga before bolting to a near four-length win over stablemate Escapee.

I Can Doosit took four seconds off the largely obsolete national 2000m mobile record but may find things tougher on Friday as New Zealand's two other best trotters, Stig and Dr Hook, return for the race.

But even at their best they are not up to the new, improved trotting machine that is I Can Doosit.

So George should get the best birthday present his son can provide.