By Michael Guerin
There is a bigger prize than the winning stake awaiting Dark Horse when the Southland sensation returns to Addington on Friday night.
The speed freak faces a 20m handicap and some talented opposition including Ronald J in the main trot, which trainer-driver Nathan Williamson hopes is her last outing before the Dominion two weeks later.
But therein lies the beauty and the beast of tomorrow night’s 2600m standing start.
Williamson would dearly love to win or at worst finish second on Friday to boost Dark Horse up the rankings for the Dominion, even though she will probaby make the field.
“We sit 14th in the rankings and I think she will get in but I’d love to make sure of it this week,” says Williamson.
“The reason is I don’t want to run her again before the Dominion but I might have to unless she can get up to like 12th or something where I feel comfortable.
“The problem is the first three home in the NZ Trot Free-For-All on the Tuesday get a start in the Dominion if they want so unless we move up the rankings I might have to start her that day too in case we miss out.
“But I am hoping to take that out of play with a big run this Friday.”
Williamson realistically shouldn’t have too many problems gaining a ratings boost after Dark Horse spanked her rivals even off a 60m handicap in her comeback race at Forbury Park last week.
“She probably had to win that but she still did it well and it was really a trial for her.
“But I am rapt with where she is. She doesn’t carry a lot of weight so she is ready to go.
“But this week is an interesting one. I think Ronald J is a pretty good horse after what we saw of him over the winter and again at Kaikoura on Monday and Everybody Knows was really good in the mile at Ashburton.
“If Ronald J can stay in front of us and then maybe work around to the lead he will be awfully hard to run down, like Paul’s (Nairn) horses usually are.
“So this is a race where my mare could go super and still run second because unless we can get in front of Ronald J early I probably won’t be taking off to give her a hard run.
“But she is ready to win providing we get that smidgen of luck and I am looking forward to getting her back up there because obviously the Dominion is a great race and has a lot of significance to our family.”
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