Groth's expectations mixed ahead of Gunnedah race meet

The one carrying the highest hopes of a win is Charge Extra, a three-year-old gelding who picked up a third-place finish in his last start at Inverell on March 5.

"Charge Extra was on the improve last start, he ran a really nice third in the same sort of company he's in tomorrow," Groth said.

"Everything that he's done at home, there's nothing to suggest he's not going to run well.

"I think he's probably our best hope - he's on his home track and I think the 1400 instead of the 1200 will suit him."

Groth does not exactly have low expectations of his other three horses running tomorrow; rather he considers it a test of their race-day capabilities.

Javelina, a five-year-old gelding, and Foreign Brother, a four-year-old gelding, will both run under Groth's supervision for the first time on Saturday in race six.

"Javelina and Foreign Brother are both having their first runs for me," Groth said.

"Javelina's from south of the border Victoria way. He came to us six months ago and to me he didn't want anything to do with racing. So we turned him out for a lengthy period and ... his form suggests that he'll probably want the run, so we're not expecting a great deal. He'll probably improve on whatever he does tomorrow.

"We've only had Foreign Brother a short time and he's having his first run for us. He's had a change of environment ... which is as good as a holiday, they say. So his attitude is a bit different to when he turned up. He's drawn well tomorrow and he likes a soft track."

The fourth horse running for the Gunnedah-based trainer tomorrow, Malzoom, is in a lull at this point of his career.

The seven-year-old gelding, Groth said, appears to have "lost interest and form", and he hopes a run at home may revive some of the promise Malzoom has shown in the past.

"He hasn't done a great deal in his last couple of starts," he said.

"He used to charge forward and lead, so we'll let him do that again tomorrow on his home track. He's drawn poorly, but he's got a lot of speed and we'll see how he goes."

The first race will begin at the Gunnedah Jockey Club from 1.34pm on Saturday, March 12. Six races are scheduled to take place throughout the day with the last to begin from 4.44pm.

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