GLOBETROTTING Australian star The Locomotive (Muscle mass) is nearing a return to the circuit.
Trainer-driver Brad Hewitt said the 2024 Inter Dominion champion was on track to race late next month.
The plan is to work towards the major harness racing events in Victoria early next year, led by the Great Southern Star.
The locomotive has not run since the last of its journeys in Sweden in mid-June.
The trip to Sweden did not go as hoped, so the trip was cut short due to connections to get the five-year-old back home to then focus on the big Australian races next year.
In other stable news, Hewitt confirmed his star pacer Captains Knock would bypass tomorrow week’s Group 1 Victoria Cup.
“He’s not going. We’re putting him on for the NSW Carnival of Cups,” Hewitt said.
“There’s a chance I’ll still go to Victoria with Horn Player.”
Captains Knock has not raced since an excellent second place in the Group 1 Len Smith Mile at Menangle on September 6.
The much-improved horn player gets his chance to impress with a good draw (gate two, but will move to pole) in the Kevin Robinson free-for-all (1609m) at Menangle tomorrow night.
He is the $5.50 third favorite behind Jason Grimson’s star speedster Hi Managirlff and the rejuvenated Ripp ($3.30).
Through Adam Hamiltonfor Harness Racing Australia
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