Pump It tries to tap into potential for Molly Campbell

By Isaac Murphy

There has always been plenty of attention around trainer Mark Saal’s bitch Pump It since she ran a Novice class record 29.68 at start nine earlier this year.

The enigmatic chaser hasn’t reached those heights since but at 26 months, Saal thinks he’s starting to figure the daughter of Collision out.

The trainer rates her a winning chance at her best in this year’s Molly Campbell Silver Dollars Series kicking off at Albion Park tonight.

“She was rounding back into form nicely until she picked up a minor injury at Capalaba last start which saw her have ten days off, but up until then she had four wins and two seconds in her last six at Albion, Capalaba and Ipswich, so I’m hoping she trains on well,” Saal said.

“She’s a quirky bitch, I don’t think I’ve ever had one as green as her even after 27 starts she’s all over the shop still, but I haven’t had many with as much untapped potential as her either so we’ll persist.

“She’s got oodles of ability; I half want her to come on season, have a little break and come back more mature, but I’m hoping the penny will drop naturally with some nice age races coming up.”

Pump It comes up with a sticky draw surrounded by Wayne Scott’s dogs, including series favourite Farmor Beach fresh off a 29.59 win at headquarters.

“The draw between the Scott’s two dogs Libby’s Girl in the two and Farmor Beach is the four has me a bit worried; they can both begin and she doesn’t like getting squeezed up early, that’s something she’s going to have to overcome,” Saal said.

“When she gets cluttered up, she has the tendency to panic and drop back which is what I’m a bit concerned about with tonight’s speed map.

“If she manages to lead I think she wins, her last start at Ipswich she ran home in 11.69 to win from behind when the run home record is 11.53, so she can do it the hard way.”

While Saal would love to see her sail to the front, he’s certain she won’t be able to go with them early and will have to put in the big bounds late to ensure her spot in next week’s final.

“If she does baulk at that first turn and drop back on the fence it’ll take her a while to get going again, but when she does, the way she stretches out and bounds towards the finish is something to behold - she can come from nowhere to win off that last turn,” he said.

“Even though she’s not suited by the draw tonight with just two heats and the first four going through, I’m confident she can qualify and hopefully get a bit less speed around her in the final.

“She’s still so young, to have her learning on the job like this is a bonus - the Molly Campbell is a serious race and she’s up to it on her night.”

If Pump It’s first season holds off, she’s got a career defining eight weeks in front of her, and Saal is keen to cash in on age races before taking her to open company.

“We’ve got a nice program for her going forward over the next month or so starting with the Molly Campbell followed by the Ipswich Futurity and then the Rising Stars at Albion Park, and if we think she’s up to it after that the Ipswich Cup is in November,” he said.

“It’s really good for a bitch like her when series’ flow together like that, it gives her the best chance to get her tail up and I’d like to think she could figure in all of those races.

“The Ipswich Cup might be a bridge too far against the older dogs but I’m hoping for some sustained success.

“She goes well at Albion Park and Ipswich, everyone points to her class record (29.68) at Albion Park, but I’ve trialled her recently at Ipswich and she’s gone 30.35 so there’s no real preference there.”

Saal recently took his chaser to Capalaba in search for some education, and while that didn’t quite go to plan, the runs were something to behold.

“As frustrating as she is at times, she gives you a huge thrill as well the way she races,” he said.

“I took her to Capalaba to try to get a bit of confidence in her at the start and both times she came out four lengths behind them and somehow powered through the field to win - they were two of the best runs I’ve ever seen.

“Whether it’s now or after her first season, I hope she can put it all together because if she does, she’s got at least one really nice race in her future.”