Luke McCarthy is a world-class horseman who has driven with success in North America and has been dominant in Australia's eastern states with his wife, Belinda, in recent seasons. Just last season they trained For A Reason to beat the likes of Beautide and Christen Me in the Victoria Cup, with both the McCarthy runners today having easily beaten Cup favourite Terror To Love in the mobile 3009m Inter Dominion at Menangle in March.
And the McCarthy family are no strangers to the Cup, their father John training Cobbity Classic to finish second to a quasi-Aussie in Flashing Red in 2006.
"These two horses are better than Cobbity Classic, especially For A Reason. I think he will handle the standing start and settle midfield and then we want a hot pace. If that happens he will be running on hard.
"And Toddy's horse will get away and probably stick to the markers, like he did when he finished second in the Inter, which gives him a place chance.
"I think we have a hope of winning it but it will be hard to beat Terror To Love and Christen Me, because we know how good they are, regardless of Terror's record over our way.
"If we can win it would rank up with winning an Inter Dominion for me because this is a race you grow up hearing all about. So we are thrilled to be part of it."
If you didn't watch last week's Addington trials it would be hard to find a reason Gold Ace isn't favourite for the free-for-all today.
Which suits trainer Steven Reid fine, because he says you can expect his stallion to improve dramatically on that fourth last Wednesday.
Gold Ace is back from Australia, where he was enormous last season when trained by the McCarthys in Sydney. He won the Cranbourne Cup, was a massive sixth in the Victoria Cup and third in the Hunter Cup, all coming off group one form in New Zealand that saw him win the New Zealand Free-For-All this time two years ago.
Which makes you wonder how he isn't the bet of the day, taking on the second-string or out-of-form elite pacers as well as last season's champion filly Venus Serena on her seasonal debut in today's $35,000 mobile over 2600m.
But Gold Ace didn't look quite so formidable at the trials last Wednesday, when he skipped at the start and was then flat the last 100m, finishing in behind Venus Serena, who won the rain-soaked trial.
"I was flat getting to her as well but none of that worries because I know the horse and what he can do," says Reid.
"He improves a long way with a trial and I think he will be lengths better this week.
"If he improves as much as I think he will then I think he can turn the tables on Venus Serena and win."
Gold Ace faces the outside barrier draw on a fast front line but when you consider he led a red-hot Victoria Cup from the outside draw last December he will lead again if driver Tony Herlihy wants.
The question is, how much gas he uses to get there and whether he can burn at both ends of a 2600m race when relatively fresh?
If his odds get out to $5 it is worth taking the punt to find out.
