By Matt Markham
The best of them might still be in the paddock at home, but even that shouldn’t be enough to stop the All Stars stable of Mark Purdon and Natalie Rasmussen from dominating tonight’s Group One New Zealand Breeders Stakes.
With no Dream About Me in the $100,000 event, the All Stars have two more the capable replacements to carry the stable colours and shoot for the gold in Piccadilly Princess and Golden Goddess.
Piccadilly Princess returns off the back of a highly successful Australian campaign while Golden Goddess returns to the races having not had a workout or a trial but is certain to be ready to rock and roll when the whips are cracking.
With their high class stablemate absent, it’s a perfect opportunity for one of them to step up and grab some major glory although North Island raiders, Better B Amazed and The Orange Agent might have something to say about that.
They have both been fantastic in recent weeks and Better B Amazed already has a feature mares’ win at Addington under her belt this season from winning the Premier Mares’ Championship.
The Orange Agent comes into the event with the best form however having beaten Inter Dominion Champion, Smolda at her last start and that was enough to lure Tony Herlihy down for the night to drive the Brian Hughes trained mare.
Meanwhile Cran Dalgety will lead the charge against the blue and silver army in another highlight of the night, the Vero Flying Stakes.
A precursor to the Group One New Zealand Derby for the three-year-olds the race is littered with Purdon and Rasmussen runners, but Dalgety’s star, Rakapuka Ruler has shown that even the best are beatable given the right circumstances.
“It’s going to be tough, there’s a few of them there to contend with,” Dalgety said.
“Whether we can repeat what happened last time, I’m not sure.”
Last time was the Great Northern Derby at Alexandra Park where Rakapuka Ruler was too good for everyone, thanks in large to a cagey front running drive from Dexter Dunn.
“I said to our owners the other day that if there’s only two Derbies every year and we have won one of them, so what happens now is a bonus really.
“He’s in great fettle, the trip to Auckland has really brought him on in my opinion.
“But then again he will need to be better.”
Ultimate Machete, who finished second to Rakapuka Ruler at Auckland and Vincent who was too good in Australia are expected to dominate tonight.
One race where the All Stars don’t appear to be assured of a win, but aren’t completely out of the equation, is the New Zealand Trotting Oaks.
They line up Regal Love, fresh from Australia, against a quality field of three-year-old trotting fillies.
Dalgety holds a strong hand in that race too with Chevron Express.
“It’s nice to have something a bit different to the norm in a trotter,” he said after her win last Friday night.
“It’s a new a challenge and one I am enjoying and she’s going great guns.”
Chevron Express will start off the second line with Zoey’s Gift, from the Phil Williamson barn, expected to be a formidable foe based on her career to date.
The well bred filly, who is raced by big spending Australians, Emilio and Mary Rosati, looks an ideal staying prospect and from a good draw will be on the speed to press the issue with Matty Williamson in the bike.
And, in a case of potentially leaving the best to last, tonight’s Superstars Championship promises to be a humdinger.
New Zealand Cup champion, Lazarus returns to Addington for the first time since his Cup Week heroics and looks almost a certainty based on his season to date, enhanced even further by the one barrier draw.
The enigma however will come from his stable mate, Heaven Rocks, who showed at Auckland that he’s capable of footing it with anyone in Australasia when on his game and an intriguing battle is in store if he can put everything together.
Super Selector – by Matt Markham
Race 1: Bailey’s Knight, Mac Almighty, Shineonyoucrazydiamond, Sparkling Delight
Race 2: Musculus, BD Khaosan, Lavros Jack, Foreverman
Race 3: Mossdale Rose, Sheeza GNP, Hard Day’s Night, Art Courage
Race 4: Zoey’s Gift, Chevron’s Express, Di’z Luck, Regal Love
Race 5: Lazarus, Heaven Rocks, Field Marshal, Chase The Dream
Race 6: Franco Nelson, Ears Burning, Benicio, Maverick
Race 7: Piccadilly Princess, The Orange Agent, Golden Goddess, Better B Amazed
Race 8: Ultimate Machete, Vincent, Rakapuka Ruler, Pacing Major
Race 9: Wilma’s Mate, Ronald J, Blazing Under Fire, Habibti Ivy
Race 10: Whittaker, Let It Ride, Mongolian Hero, Franco Hampton
Best Bet: Ultimate Machete (Race 8)
Value: Bailey’s Knight (Race 1)
Approved By Dean Baring www.harnessbred.com
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