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By Tony Megahey

It’s high betting alert around second emergency Love Shuck for Saturday’s TAB Highway at Royal Randwick who is almost certain to gain a start through scratchings.

Love Shuck is a Listed two-year-old winner and one of the hottest prospects in regional racing.

Gundagai’s rising talent Todd Smart, training at the ACT, rates the three-race winner Love Shuck highly in a strong country support to a tremendous day of Group racing at headquarters.

Love Shuck (Aaron Bullock) in winning form at Scone during the May carnival. Image by Bradley Photographers

Already Lisztomaina is an early scratching from barrier 18 and inevitably there will be more to follow from wide barriers in a capacity field. It’s a familiar scenario in the series.

“We’d targetted the Highway but accepted for the [Listed] Crowley Stakes if we were balloted out,"enthused Smart.

"There is a scratching already and knowing some Highway trainers, unlikely they’ll run from wide gates. We should be in and hard to beat.”

Love Shuck (already $15 into $12 on TAB) is certain to be the big firmer when the field is finalised.

Love Shuck has 57.5kg and there’s a sobering warning from Todd for older and more experienced opposition in the $120,000 Class 3, 1200m from barrier three.

“He’s winning on raw talent despite doing a few little things wrong,” explained Todd. The three-year-old Mikki Isle (JPN) protégé is three wins from just four starts.

And recently finished a close third in a Goulburn trial behind Mogo Magic and The Kosciuszko winner and Group sprinter Front Page.

While the triallists were unextended, a half-length behind Front Page and a subsequent Wagga win, its hot form for a country Class 3 on Saturday.

Love Shuck won impressively off that trial despite laying in. Hence a lugging bit, winkers and earmuffs (pre-race only) listed as his racing gear.

Love Shuck did similar winning the Inglis and having to survive a protest. Todd though is unconcerned.

“It’s not as issue, inexperienced three-year-old, four starts and three wins, can’t do much more.

"He wants something to chase, when he got to them so quickly at Wagga, he switched off ducked in, could have won by a space. We use the gear needed.

“He’s still learning to race, all that will all come with experience.”

Love Shuck has been an amazing bargain buy for just $6000 at the Inglis yearling sales. He has won $180,000 already and so much more to come on what he has shown so far.

But super fast city tracks and leader bias with track and several class records is Smart’s concern when he can’t be on-pace.

“Leaders have been mainly winning but we won’t be digging him up out of his comfort zone. We’ll use the good gate but settle off them.”

Meanwhile, Todd started training at Gundagai but with ever increasing success and numbers moved to the better facilities at the ACT.

Smart is enjoying his most successful season with a substantial team, including Love Shuck and open class sprinters Washington Towers and Kelvedon Road who have won 13 races between them, the former a city winner.

In early markets Florino, the Paul Messara/Leah Gavranich trained three-race winner is the $3.60 TAB favourite ahead of Iron Will ($6.50).

View final fields with full form & race replays for Royal Randwick here