Pictured: James Presutto and Natalie Presutto, following Highly Potent’s Launching Pad heat victory. Photo credit: Jason Mckeown.
It’s been a huge few weeks for James Presutto.
On 23 February, Highly Potent provided the Devon Meadows trainer with his first city winner.
Just over a month later, the same dog will also provide him with his first Group race finalist, when she lines up in the Group 3 Launching Pad Final on Thursday night at Sandown Park.
“We race as a team, so it’s not so much about whose name is on the dog,” said Presutto modestly.
“But it is a big thrill to have my first Group race finalist, and it’s extra special seeing my name come up on TV and in the form guide.”
Highly Potent has progressed through the Launching Pad series with a 29.47 heat win from Box 5, followed by an unlucky fourth in last week’s semi-final behind Blue Storm.
In this week’s final, she will jump from Box 4, and Presutto says that she’s pulled up “grouse”.
“In the semi-final, she showed her inexperience, and in a race like that, you can’t really afford to make any mistakes or miss the start. I think she tried to cut down to the fence and got slightly galloped on, which ruined her momentum to run top three, but we are just rapt that she was able to get through to the final.”
He’s hopeful that she will re-discover her excellent box speed this week.
“I think the 3 (Not Again) is probably going to lead – he has really good early pace. But Highly Potent can also begin. She’ll go straight, and then probably try and get to the fence going into the turn.
“She’s still learning. It’s a big race, it’s a tough race, there’s a lot of depth in it. It all depends on how she begins.”
Presutto acknowledges that the race is full of strong dogs, and suggests that their best hope is for her to get to the front and hold on.
“The very biased person in me says she can win!”