Racing: Sundon's Gift on track for top effort on Friday night

A trip to trotting's Disneyland which initially looked a disaster is set to pay a huge dividend for Sundon's Gift.

Australia's champion trotter is primed for his first Auckland start on Friday night, when he faces a 30m handicap in what will be his lead-up to the $250,000 Canam Rowe Cup on Friday week.

Sundon's Gift warmed up for his Alexandra Park race night debut with a smooth performance at the workouts there yesterday, appearing to have no real issue with his first public attempt right-handed.

While facing only one rival, Calamity Gal - and she was in a cantankerous mood - the Victorian looked at ease on the track and, most importantly, cornered well, pleasing trainer-driver Chris Lang.

It was a happy return home for the former Kiwi trotter, who joined Lang's stable in Shepparton, after showing ability but few brains when trained by Tim Butt in New Zealand.

Sundon's Gift spent much of his first two years with Lang testing his patience as well, but looked a refined old gentleman of racing the way he behaved yesterday.

Lang says the more serene Sundon's Gift is, in no small way, because of his Scandinavian campaign last winter to contest the famous Elitlopp in Sweden.

While several Australasian trotters have contested that great race, run as two heats and a final, only Pride Of Petite has made the final and Sundon's Gift couldn't adjust to the frenetic pace of Swedish trotting quickly enough to be a factor during his campaign.

While the trip might have looked a failure, Lang says it is the reason Sundon's Gift is now a pleasure to train. "He has come back from there a different horse and that really helps on a trip like this one.

"After all that travelling last year he takes it all in his stride these days.

"It was 11 hours door to door on Sunday from my place to Michelle's [Wallis] and he got there, drunk a bucket of water and ate everything I gave him.

"He didn't tuck up at all and feels great."

The Scandinavian sojourn wasn't just good for Sundon's Gift, with Lang loving every second of his time in a part of the world where trotting is by far the biggest racing code and enjoys a huge public profile.

So much so he and wife Sharon are returning to the Elitlopp this year as spectators.

"It is wonderful, especially if trotters are as big a part of your life as they are mine," said Lang.

"I think if we had gone back with Bernie [Sundon's Gift] this year he would have been more competitive because he is a better horse now but we really wanted to come here for the Rowe Cup.

"But the racing in Sweden was just magic, I loved being over there."

Sundon's Gift faces a tough 30m backmark in his lead-up on Friday night but Lang said his champion had not been harshly handicapped.

"Over home, he could have got 40m or 50m in that field. It will still be hard to win but he is well in himself and handled the track really well today so things are looking good."

Sundon's Gift wasn't the only big Aussie star at the workouts yesterday, with Bonavista Bay warming up for Friday's $100,000 Taylor Mile with an easy win.

He was opposed by only two greatly inferior rivals and jogged his last 800m in 57.1 seconds in pouring rain, winning under a hold for catch driver Brent Mangos.

His arch-rival Captain Joy was withdrawn from the same heat and will instead familiarise himself with Alexandra Park in a solo workout today.

The pair will lure two of Australia's greatest-ever reinsmen to Alexandra Park, with the Victorian pair of Chris Alford to drive Bonavista Bay and Gavin Lang partnering Captain Joy.

GIFT HORSE
* Sundon's Gift handled Alexandra Park well in his first workout right-handed.
* Trainer Chris Lang says the gelding's extensive travels last year have helped him settle into Auckland.
* Fellow Victorian Bonavista Bay also looked well when winning at the workouts yesterday.
* Champion drivers Gavin Lang and Chris Alford will drive at Friday night's massive Alexandra Park meeting.