Jimmie, Star Writer

Fresh off a three-timer last Saturday, champion trainer Wayne DaCosta looks set to log his fourth winner in two racedays with down-in-class MR LUVAL in tomorrow's eighth event, a $500,000 claiming race.

The five-year-old gelding spent November and December among grade one and open allowance company. He came within three and a half lengths of pulling off a coup in the grade-one CTL Invitational Mile, finishing fourth behind PETE'SWILDONE, PRINCESS SHINE and UPPA TUNE.

Rewarded

The trainer's decision to try MR LUVAL in blinkers, mid-September, worked wonders for the middle-distance runner who responded from the very first day by closing fast to get within three-quarter lengths of RASTARAVEN in a 1200-metre sprint.

DaCosta stuck with that formula and was rewarded with back-to-back wins, a half-length victory over SIR FREDERICK at a mile on Heroes Day, followed by a 7-1 upset of stablemates DEO VOLENTE and ROYAL VIBES at 1500 metres five days later.

So fit was MR LUVAL, after notching back-to-back wins, that DaCosta threw the grey into the Invitational Mile and got a big run out of him. The blinker-loving MR LUVAL took on the best imported stayers in the country and was beaten by less than four lengths.

Dropping to the $550,000 claiming ranks, MR LUVAL is effectively three classes lower than grade one where he had placed fourth in November's Invitational Mile.

DaCosta has two other runners in the 12-horse field, STRIKING DISTANCE and the filly ALSO CORRECT, both four-year-olds going up against their seasoned and older stablemate.

STRIKING DISTANCE, however, is racing for the fourth time in less than a month, as recent as Saturday when prevailing in a three-way photo against BOLD AVIATOR and ISRAELITE.

Great exertion

MR LUVAL will definitely be fresher than his stablemates. His last two efforts required no great exertion, trailing home in no-hoper efforts against speedy horses at seven furlongs. He ran wide at the top of the lane in both events, down the track in races won by CAMPESINO and BOY WONDER, respectively.

Similar to STRIKING DISTANCE, ALSO CORRECT is coming off a tough race, outsped by the colt LOCKED AND LOADED's pace in the 1300-metre New Year's Day Trophy, and will find a mile a bit too soon for her liking.

In addition, both are sitting too close in the weight to their seasoned stablemate, MR LUVAL, carrying 54.0 kilos to his 56.0.

MR LUVAL should relish the pace with JACK DE CHARMER, MERU and STRIKING DISTANCE expected to knot up on the lead. The grey's finishing speed in a lower class makes him a cinch.