Best bet: Forget The Price Tag (R1, No.5): Smart young trotter dropping back from NZ Derby last start.
Each way: Lemond (R6, No.4): Very good here last Friday and could be the leader. Would take a lot of catching.
Suited: Renezmae (R5, No.6): The barrier draw, scratchings and track experience all play into her hooves.
By Michael Guerin
The man with the perfect draws to dominate the two glamour races at Alexandra Park tonight says it may not be that simple.
Because Ricky May says while he can win both the Taylor Mile and Anzac Cup, it may not be a comfortable watch for punters.
May has barrier one with A G’s White Socks in the Taylor Mile and as the winner of the Easter Cup two starts ago he looks good enough to be master of his own destiny, which exactly what he didn’t do at Addington last start.
“I stuffed up the drive last start, I gave Mark (Purdon, driving More The Better) the lead too easy and we had no chance after that,” admits May.
“So we have the ace this time and I think I have to be aggressive from the inside but the question is how aggressive because there is plenty of speed next to us.
“I can see them going really hard and some of us are going to have to make decisions around the first bend.”
Translated into non-racing speak that means: we want to lead or trail the right horse but we don’t want to go crazy trying to do so.
That pretty much sums up the likes of key rivals Star Galleria, Let It Ride and Raukapuka Ruler, the drivers of all will want to get to the markers but not spend to much energy doing so because that could set the race up for More The Better.
As good as his group one winning rivals are, Star Galleria has been brilliant this season and has the raw speed to give driver Tony Herlihy options so he deserves favouritism and if he can run to the front it will take a special performance to get past him.
Let It Ride has had the right preparation of speed racing and was good enough at the workouts last Saturday to win while More The Better could be sitting just off the speed after a sizzling open sectional and swoop in what shapes as a great race.
Enghien showed with his luckless last-start second at Addington he is now strong enough to beat the older trotters but if you are expecting a lead-and-win performance from barrier two you might be disappointed.
For all his stamina he is still a quirky trotter who doesn’t like being bustled and May suggests he will have to be patient early before making his move later.
“He is at his best right-handed and I am sure he can win but he has been funny this season so I don’t see us racing to the lead or anything like that.”
Enghien can undoubtedly win but with the possibility Lemond, Bordeaux and even Temporale could surge forward to get in front of him punters might be understandably reluctant to take his $2.50 opening price.
Lemond appeals as the value in the race as he bounced right back to his best over 1700m last week and showed good gate speed. A repeat of that could see him press forward and even lead tonight from where he would take enormous running down.
Earlier in the night the scratching of Luby Lou after she got tangled in a fence has opened up the Sires’ Stakes Trot, with Renezmae and Winterfell the greatest beneficiaries while it is hard to make a case to bet on, or against, Princess Tiffany at $1.30 in the Caducues Club Classic for the juvenile pacing fillies.
Approved By Dean Baring www.harnessbred.com
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