Sydney-based trainer Jarrod Alchin is heading to the Tamworth meeting on Sunday evening with four runners, and they are all engaged in the same race.
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Our Ultimate Julie, Our Ultimate Mary, My Ultimate Romeo and My Ultimate Major are all engaged in the Pit Express Star Maker Prelude for three-year-olds.
With a field of 10 runners, Alchin stands a pretty good chance of training a winner – and possibly driving the winner, as he will take the reins behind one of his stable’s stars. “It is a good race,” Alchin said. “My chances have improved having four out of the 10 starters.”
All four runners are trained in Sydney but do have a local connection as they are raced by Tumby Park Pty Ltd which is headed up by former Armidale resident Scott Whitton.
“Scott will choose the drivers for the horses,” Alchin added. “This race has been on Scott’s radar for a while now.”
So how were the pacers’ names chosen? “Scott brought a horse from New Zealand – My Ultimate Fella – and he liked the prefix so now all the fillies are called Our Ultimate and all the colts and geldings carry My Ultimate,” Alchin said.
From the two barrier, Our Ultimate Julie will be looking to break through for her first career win at race start eight.
“Her run last start was good,” Alchin said. “She was three wide with a lap to go and she just got tired over the last 50 metres. “We expected her to get tired as she had missed a trial when the Penrith trials got washed out in a bad storm.
“The draw on Sunday will suit her as she has got some good gate speed.”
Our Ultimate Julie comes into the race off a last-start third at Bankstown on December 28, with Alchin indicating the filly is the second pick of his stable runners.
As a two-year-old, Our Ultimate Julie finished second in a heat of the Gold Tiara at Bathurst before finishing seventh to Major Kiss in the final back in March this year when a two-year-old.
The No.1 stable runner is Our Ultimate Mary, who has drawn the three barrier, with Alchin placing his name down to take the reins. “She raced at Goulburn and sat on the fence and when she got out, flew home. She has pulled up terrific,” Alchin said.
Our Ultimate Mary finished fifth at Goulburn on Christmas Eve and has had eight career starts for two wins and two placings.
My Ultimate Romeo has drawn the six barrier and has had seven career starts for one win and five placings.
“He is a real honest horse,” Alchin said of the gelding. “Just gets the job done and will be going forward from that draw. He is wider than he is tall. He battled on well for a second last start.”
My Ultimate Romeo comes in off a second at Penrith on December 27.
Rounding out the stable is My Ultimate Major who has drawn the nine barrier. “He is a natural athlete,” Alchin said. “It just depends if he is in a good head space. He could surprise us – might surprise himself.”
My Ultimate Major has had nine race starts with the one win, at Albion Park back in June 2018, and three placings.
