NZ HARNESS NEWS
Intrepid traveller Delishka continues her magical mystery tour at Invercargill’s Diamonds Day on Sunday.
The next stop for the Brad Mowbray-trained mare will be the last heat of the Southern Country Cup Series.
Delishka brings one ingredient to the race that none of her rivals, or any previous country cups contenders, could boast.
And it’s hard to see it being repeated, ever.
That is, to win a prior heat of the series, the Roxburgh Cup, go to Australia and break the 1.50-mile barrier when running second, and then come back and line up in another heat of the Country Cups Series.
It’s that sort or blistering speed that will boost the 30m back-marker’s chances on Sunday, but it could also bring her downfall.
“It’s just going to be tricky because she has to be driven with one run, so it will depend how far off them she gets,’’ driver Matthew Williamson said.
‘’Especially on a tight track like Invercargill, we can’t be giving them a huge start.’’
‘’But if she got handy enough without doing too much work she would be a big chance.’’
Though Delishka’s formlines would be scary for any of her rivals to contend with, it’s hard to see Southern starlet Somejoy ever taking a backward step against any horse she comes up against.
The Clark Barron-trained mare will look to bounce back to her best in Sunday’s race after appearing to be below her absolute best when third in the Southern Belle Speed Series Final in her last start.
Her tough running style could add the speed into the race the Delishka is wanting in what shapes as a mini-Jewels battle between the two mares.
“We definitely need a bit of speed on,’’ Williamson said.
If it’s not Somejoy setting up the race’s tempo in front it could be Royal Bengal, who is a lightning-fast standing start horse.
The Ken and Tony Barron trained pacer and Nigel McGrath’s My Wee Man look the main dangers to Delishka and Somejoy in Sunday’s 2700m event.
- NZ Harness News
Approved By Dean Baring www.harnessbred.com
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