NZ HARNESS NEWS
Tim Williams won’t have to search too far to find confidence ahead of Addington’s meeting on Friday night.
Williams, who has been based in the North Island, overseeing the strong team of horses that the All Stars stable have domiciled up there for feature racing this week and next, returned home this week to handle the majority of the driving duties for New Zealand’s leading stable on home soil.
And despite having been away from the team for a while, Williams will be able to draw confidence from the pre-meeting thoughts of Natalie Rasmussen who was glowing in her assessment of many of the stable’s chances at Addington.
Williams has picked up the plum drives on likely hot favourites, Mr Kalypso, Mach Up and Ohanzee and Rasmussen gave them all a big shot of grabbing the lion’s share of the prize in their respective assignments.
“Mach Up has worked really well this week and I think he will be hard to beat,” she said on the stable’s website.
“The draw makes it tougher, but her should be able to do some work and still win.
“Mr Kalypso has trained on real good since his fresh up win.
“I would be fairly confident about him if he has any luck at all.”
Early on in the night, there will be plenty of eyes on the Sires’ Stakes heat for the two-year-olds where the stable has half of the four-horse field.
Williams takes the drive on Another Masterpiece, who returns after his Welcome Stakes win, while Nathan Purdon has picked up the drive on A Bettor Act, who looked likely in the same race before galloping.
“A Bettor Act is in a good place at the moment and working well and Another Masterpiece we know that he delivers what he promises.
“I think A Bettor Act will go a better race this week though.”
The stable also has a double chance in the Nevele R Fillies heat with Bettor Trix and Delight In Me.
Williams is on Delight In Me and Purdon is on Bettor Trix and with both already qualified for the final, the pressure is off.
“I’m leaning toward Delight In Me of our fillies and both should go good,” Rasmussen said.
“I say should because Bettor Trix can be a funny old thing.
“When she turns it on she is very good as she was two back, but she can throw in an ordinary run if she gets upset about something.
“Delight in Me just went down at Forbury and Tim said she was coming back and s he is a more reliable filly on race day which is why I rate her on top.”
As well as those already mentioned, Semiramide will join Ohanzee in a maiden field decimated by scratchings, giving the stable a good chance of another success.
-NZ Harness News
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