He is likely to have one of the favourites for Monday’s $10,000 to the winner Soldiers Saddle Final at Bathurst, but Darren Sultana firmly believes there are eight legitimate winning chances.
Three heats of the Bathurst club’s feature event were held last Monday, and with those results, and following the box draw, Sultana says it is one of the most open finals he has been a part of.
“I know people say it all the time, but they really are all so even,” said Sultana who has Highly Effective in the race. “I think any of the eight could win the race, and it could all depend on where everyone ends up coming out of the first turn. That will probably determine who will win the race.”
Highly Effective won his heat in 30.08s last Monday, just 0.01s slower than the fastest heat winner Still Blue. He wasn’t the best to jump but showed great track sense to get the run through on the first turn and overhaul the leaders on the turn out of the back.
“Yeah he used his head,” Sultana said. “He’s had a few looks there so I think all the other starts he had previously made all the difference and he knew what to do, he got into the right position. Maybe that was it, or maybe he just had a little bit of luck go his way.
“He’s had a bit of bad luck go his way, so to have some good luck this time … there’s nothing wrong with that.”
The win last Monday was Highly Effective’s fourth in a row and sixth success from 10 starts. Sultana said he hadn’t specifically targeted the race with the dog, it was simply a case of it coming along at the right time, and some of that earlier bad luck, turning into good fortune.
“He had enough wins to fit the criteria (1-5 wins), and the way it worked out he probably could have won a couple of races early on in the piece and then I would have had to wait and hold him back to get into the race, but he got beaten a couple times instead of winning, and as a result everything just fell into place. Those losses turned out to be a blessing in disguise.”
Highly Effective has drawn box three, a handy draw according to Sultana, with fellow heat winners Still Blue drawing box one, and I’m Zarr Rock the eight box. Feral Franky’s younger half-brother Mr Edward – who has won at Bathurst in 29.76s – has drawn box five.
Sultana will be looking to win another Soldiers Saddle for his family. In 2007 his brother MATTHEW won the event with Big Block Chevy, while in 2017 his father Vic took out the Soldiers Saddle with Sky Wave (pictured).
