Racing: Lang seeking to gain respect

Ready: Sundon's Gift will be hard to beat. Photo / Dean Purcell

Two simple factors motivate Victorian trainer Chris Lang as he prepares Sundon's Gift for his Alexandra Park debut tonight: money and respect.

It would be easy to think those two factors motivate many people in life, especially racing, but Lang's desire for both is not for his own betterment.

This means punters should be able to back Sundon's Gift with confidence, even from a tough 30m backmark.

Tonight's $25,000 race is a lead-up to the Rowe Cup, worth 10 times as much next Friday, and such lead-up races are often punting poison as trainers worry more about the bigger fish they have to fry.

But not Lang. He knows that game but says he is not here to play it.

"Sure we are here to try and win the Rowe and that is the main priority of the trip," he said.

"But I think we can do both and I would prefer to."

Lang said victory tonight would take the financial pressure off the trip because the stake would cover the flights and expenses.

"And that would be nice to get out of the way in case something went wrong next week. It would take any extra pressure off."

But he wants to win tonight mostly because it could make winning next Friday easier.

"I think any respect he gets this week can only help next week.

"If a horse with his record keeps winning then sometimes it can help you get into spots in a race you might not normally get too so easily.

"I am sure if he can win this week it will help so that is what we are going out there to do."

Sundon's Gift's handicap may make some punters uncomfortable but he actually comes in well as a dual Interdominion winner giving only 10m to horses like I Can Doosit and Musgrove, who have never won an open-class race.

While field position and the presence of two freegoers off the front line means winning won't be easy and the co-mingled pool with Australia means he won't be great value, Sundon's Gift still has to be the top pick.

His presence could provide real value for trotters like Pocaro and Stylish Monarch, with Pocaro looking well placed off only 10m.

She has genuine speed and sitting just off the pace she could give the big Aussie something to chase.

Stylish Monarch was a fine second on his Alexandra Park debut last Friday and should be better for the outing, while I Can Doosit and Sno's Big Boy are good enough to win.