By Duane Ranger
Peter and Vaughan Blanchard only have one starter lining up at today’s (Tuesday) low-key Harness Racing Waikato meeting at Cambridge Raceway and thanks to a scratching they could now win the $6,000 seventh event.
Tact Ollie only made the field because of Idealistic’s withdrawal, and Blanchard (Peter) really liked the 5-year-old’s chances.
“He’s ran two good races since he’s been with us – one on the Tauranga grass and the other at Cambridge. He’s trained on real well since his last start win on the track a couple of weeks ago (February 16). I think he can go close again,” Blanchard said.
Tact Ollie will start from four on the second line in the Sean McCaffrey Farewell Mobile for the R50 to R57 pacers. Tact Ollie is the top rated pacer in the field with an R57 rating.
It will be his eighth lifetime start after finishing a third (Forbury Park) and a second (Winton) in his first four starts for Winton trainer Trevor Proctor.
“He came up here last September and had a couple of starts at Alexandra Park (fifth and 11th) before we tipped him out in October. He’s worked super since,” the Franklin horseman said.
The Badlands Hanover gelding then won his workout by a head at Pukekohe on January 28 with a 2:04.4 mile rate. James Stormont did the driving that day.
Peter Ferguson, who has driven him in all four of his North island starts will be in the sulky again today.
“We expect a bold run from him at Cambridge. He’s been perfect this time in,” said Blanchard who works 15 with his son at the Pukekohe track.
Tact Ollie is the only starter from the Blanchard stable today and will be looking for his second consecutive win at Cambridge Raceway after winning from the second line over the same 2200m mobile distance last start.
Ferguson settled back in the field with the 5-year-old that night. In fact they were still last heading into the back straight the final time before he was set alight.
They were four, and then five wide on the turn before putting in a big powerful sprint to get up and nail favourite, G B Maverick and Kyle Marshall right on the line.
Tact Ollie was the $18.30 seventh favourite of 12 and stopped the clock in 2:45.6 (mile rate 2:01.1) and home in 61.5 and 31.1.
That was his first look at Cambridge.
Meanwhile Cambridge Raceway’s leading trainer this season, Todd Mitchell can upset Tact Ollie with the black Elsu gelding he conditions and will drive.
Raschker (R54) has won twice and placed four times from 12 starts on the track and has drawn ideally at one.
The 5-year-old will get a nice sit along the markers and has the sprint to get over the top of them if saved for one run.
Mitchell will also line up Shardon’s Pearl in the fourth event – the Jame’s Waikato Tab’s Amateur Drivers Mobile for the up to R65 pacers.
Bruce Dickens, who has had one win and two placings from seven amateur drives this season, will do the steering.
Mitchell currently leads the Cambridge Raceway training premiership by eight points.
The NRM sponsored ‘Top 10’ leader-board going into today’s meeting is:
1) Todd Mitchell 83; 2) Steve Telfer & Chris Garlick 75; 3) Barry Purdon 66; 4) Tim Vince 60; 5) Ray Green 49; 6) Arna Donnelly 44; 7) Mike Berger 36; 8) Sean McCaffrey & Ross Paynter 35; 9) Steven Reid & Simon McMullan 33; 10) Mark Purdon & Natalie Rasmussen 32.
Approved By Dean Baring www.harnessbred.com
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