Bling It On's barrier anything but sparkling

Successful harness racing owner Harvey Kaplan knows that his pride and joy Bling It On is up against it when he resumes from a short break at Tabcorp Park Menangle on Saturday night. Bling It On last raced in the Miracle Mile and has drawn inside the second row over the mile in the Joe and Michael Ilsley Free For All.

With a big campaign beckoning and possible trips to Victoria and Queensland on the cards, it is understandable why Kaplan is concerned by gate eleven.

"There are two options, Luke eases back at the start, gets off the inside and then launches him which will mean he is having to do a lot of work first up and not how he is normally driven or he follows through on the back of a good beginner and hopes for a bit of luck," Kaplan said.

"In the end the tactics will be up to Luke (McCarthy) but I wouldn't want to see him flattened and by staying to the inside I don't believe we are giving up our winning chance either, it just means we are going to need some luck."

The 4&5YO Championship at Melton is a possible option in the short term where it is likely he would clash with Hectorjayjay.

"That looks a suitable race for him but everything is being targeted towards the Len Smith Mile at Menangle at the end of June. After that he can look towards the Queensland carnival and at the end of the year the Inter Dominion is on again in Perth."

Kaplan admitted he had already started to plan for the future when Bling It On is retired to become a stallion.

"I haven't spent a whole lot of time but the thought has crossed my mind and being by American Ideal out of a Caprock mare there are a number of lines he will cross well with.

"The best thing to say is that if I was looking at purchasing two yearling fillies at the moment and I liked them both equally as much as the other, I am buying the one that crosses best with Bling It On."

Another of Kaplan's horses Whitershadeofpale will also race on Saturday night at Menangle. There have been suggestions she is coming towards the end of her racetrack career.

"I think that is pretty close to the mark, whether Saturday night is her last run or whether she has another one or two starts, she is coming towards the end. John Crosbie is keen to breed with her.

"She never really hit the heights that we thought she was going to get to. She has done a great job but when she first arrived on the scene I thought she could have measured up with the very best."

Another of Kaplan's good horses Cruz Bromac has been spelling and he is looking forward to seeing him resume.

"Cruz Bromac is very talented, he is a C4/M0 I think so it is a good place for him to be starting off from. The Melton Plate is a race that might be up his alley."

Greg Hayes