HELEN Burns admits she gets a bit starry-eyed when she talks about Astro Castro, who she has entered in a BM 0-58 on the Saturday of the long weekend of racing.
The Swan Hill trainer says the 11-year-old gelding’s second race at Mildura on May 29 provides a good launching pad for carnival run on his home track.
And with gun Swan Hill apprentice Madison Lloyd unavailable with her broken leg, Burns is hoping to get Tahlia Hope in the saddle as the Seymour-based youngster knows the horse well.
“I’ve had to be careful with him because he has spurs in his leg and that makes things difficult, but he has still managed seven wins in his career,” Burns added.
“While I have managed a couple of wins in previous carnivals I am only running Astro and Kung Fu Lady, so am counting on the veteran to fly the flag for me,” she says.
“Because of his leg I do a lot of work with him in the water at Lake Boga, along with some jogging work.
“The Saturday of the carnival is a good family day, and I am looking forward to seeing people back at the track.”
Burns says KFL hasn’t really done enough this time around.
“She’s a four-year-old mare who got a bit of a late start to her career and has only had three runs,” she says.
“So I have entered her in the Droughtbreaker maiden on the Sunday, and you never know.”
And if anyone is better qualified from a cup carnival than Burns to always leave the door slightly ajar, they haven’t put their hand up yet.
Back in 1996 her horse Clouded Grey was entered in the Topaz and managed to run stone cold last.
So Burns backed her hunch and sent her gelding out again on the Monday at 150/1 and yes, you guessed it, he got up and made it a hell of a payday for anyone brave enough to have backed him.
