By Duane Ranger
A $40,000 Pick6 will be up for grabs at Manawatu Raceway this evening, and what better person to get a winning insight into the meeting, than the ‘King of Palmy’ – Stephen Doody.
The man nicknamed ‘Noddy’ trained Armabluechipboy to win the seventh race, by two-and-a-three-quarter lengths from a worse draw, on the first day (Tuesday), and rated the four-year-old as his best winning chance at today’s meeting.
Armabluechipboy, a Santanna Blue Chip gelding, has had 33 wins for five starts and four placings and has drawn ideally at one in race five tonight.
Doody has six horses entered for the meeting. Here’s what he had to say about the half dozen.
Race 1: CD Express (9) – “She’s a two-year-old filly who is only nominated for this race to give her a run before we tip her out. We want her to get experience racing in big fields. She’s quite a capable girl but will be better for the experience. In saying that she can run over the top of them if she gets the right run.” Note: CD Express qualified 4.1 seconds under time in a one-horse trial at Manawatu Raceway on May 2.
Race 4: Narelle Franco (4): – “She was disappointing on the first day after trailing and you would have to take her on trust here. If the right Narelle Franco turned up she could place.
Race 4: Sumthin Special (9): – “She should go better after yesterday’s run. She’s better than that and I’d rate her an each-way chance in this race. She won well at Hawera three starts back.”
Race 5: Armabluechipboy (1) – “He is a great follower of speed and won very well from nine here yesterday. That was a bold run and I think he can repeat the dose if he gets a clear run through from one. Four of his five wins have been on the track. He’s also won three times over the distance. Go again.”
Race 6: Xtra Time (3) – “She is going to find this race a bit tough and I think the ones out the back will get the better of her. She’s only an R49 rated horse who went okay for fourth (of six) on the first day. That was her first run and she needs more race-day experience.”
Race 6: Commando One (4) – “She is a nice enough trotter who can finish in the first three here. The mare has finished two nice seconds in her last two Manawatu starts. She has the draw to go close again today.”
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