Trainer Michael Pay is hoping that 'a little bit of luck' will make all the difference for his stable on Wednesday night.
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Jacobs Thunder, a slight outsider in the 1720m Egmont Park Stud Pace at $5.50, is searching for a maiden win after placing second in two recent appearances in Dubbo.
Pay says that a draw in the second row isn't ideal for the fast-starter, but hopes a clean early break is in the cards for Jacobs Thunder with son Jack Pay in the driver's seat.
"He should be up there again, he hasn't drawn really well for him, but if Jack gets a bit of luck, he'll go okay," Pay said.
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"He likes to get out there and get running, he's a top horse that would rather be up closer than back in the field, so we're just going to need a bit of luck to get through at the start, if we can get that, we'll be going okay."
Jack, who has been driving Jacobs Thunder in his last six starts, is also in the hunt for a first career win of his own, and Pay hopes the sixteen year old driver and Jacobs Thunder can both get it done on Wednesday night.
"Jack's doing good, he's still looking for his first winner, but it'll come eventually, although we're hoping it's sooner rather than later," Pay said.
"It'd be real good for Jack to get a win and get that bit of confidence and it'll be good for the horse as well, they both thrive off a bit of good racing."
Pay is no stranger to familial success, with his other son Tom having carved out a successful start as a driver for Bathurst based trainers Gemma and Mat Rue.
"Jack's still only sixteen, I've got him and Tom driving and Tom'll be driving out there tomorrow night as well, Jack's going really, really good at the moment though, he just needs that bit of luck and his first winner," Pay said.
"They both drive pretty well, Tom's obviously getting a few more opportunities than Jack at the moment and he's a good chance too in his drive tomorrow night, it keeps his mother watching when they're out there racing together."
Jacobs Thunder is sitting third in the odds maker's view, behind the Mark Hewitt driven and trained Smoken Alice ($2.60) and the Paul Bonham trained and Nathan Hurst driven Shes The Other One ($3.50).
While Tom Pay will be driving Renee Dale NZ later in the evening for Mat Rue, Michael and Jack will have a second chance at success with Im Super Sophie in the 2120m Rohrs Timber and Hardware Gilgandra Pace.
Super Sophie has also drawn a starting position in the second row for that race, and while not she sits at considerably longer odds ($41.00), Pay doesn't see the position as much of a setback.
"She's drawn okay for her, she probably honestly needs to improve a little bit, but her work lately has been okay, so we'll see how she goes in that race," Pay said.
The evening of racing is set to begin at 6.33pm on Wednesday, December 11 at the Dubbo Paceway, with the Tab Odds and Evens Pace the curtain-raiser of the seven race slate.