By Matt Markham
Strong grass track trial form should be the key to success on the first day of the two day West Coast meeting this weekend.
For quite some time now, the trial and workout form out of the Mt Harding Racecourse in Methven has often been the punters best friend when it comes to finding winners in the following weeks and this weekend looks set to be no different after a big trials day on the roomy grass track last weekend
The options from last weekend’s trials start in the very first race this afternoon courtesy of the Robbie Holmes trained Bionic Man. Unflattering on debut, the Live Or Die four-year-old was impressive last Saturday when beating a small, but tidy, field of pacers.
Holmes is in a rich vein of form currently and his stable is to be respected wherever he goes.
Pembrook Harry, who us trained by current premiership leader Robert Dunn, was also victorious last weekend.
With three duck eggs next to his name from his three career starts, it’s hard to get too exciting about the horse, but his trial in which he led early then trailed was impressive enough to suggest that he should be able to win a relatively open maiden pacing event today – especially with Dexter Dunn sitting in the sulky.
Franco Exeter will give Wayne Higgs a good shot at success on one of his favourite hunting grounds.
Higgs races the former Spreydon Lodge pacer as an owner under the training of Mark Jones but drives the five-year-old gelding today as well and his trial performance last weekend was impressive.
The Lis Mara gelding beat a strong line up which included Articulight and Pay Me Way last weekend – running an impressive last 800m on the grass of 58.4 seconds.
Monkey’s Way won the feature trotting event of the trial meeting and if he brings his best manners today he’ll go close to doing the same again. The John Aarts trained trotter has a serious amount of ability, but unfortunately his manners aren’t always the best.
The Monkey Bones gelding has had six starts for just the solitary win but he was also disqualified from third in one of those performances after staging a massive recovery following an early gallop.
Robbie Close retains the drive and he was in the bike last weekend when he trotted to the front, took a trail and then dashed up the lane to win untouched, by three and a half lengths.
Stellar Success and Insignificant also produced solid efforts in that same trial and they race in the last event this evening as well.
Other strong trial performers from last Saturday racing today include; Hopeful Harriet, Uralla Sue, Hestia Franco and Battle Born .
Approved By Dean Baring www.harnessbred.com
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