NZ HARNESS NEWS
Lex Williams has been preparing himself for another two-and-a-half minutes of holding his breath.
That’s been the case for him, and many punters, when One Over Da Stars has raced twice so far this season.
It hasn’t ended well on both occasions, with disqualifications, and it will be hearts in mouths stuff again when the royally-bred and potential top line trotting mare heads to the start again at Addington this week.
The five-year-old chestnut daughter of Love You and millionaire mare One Over Kenny galloped at the start when in barrier three when she resumed at Addington a few weeks ago and most wrote her off given the ground she lost.
Yet she had the audacity to loop the field down the back and bolt in by about four lengths, only to be disqualified for breaking for more than 150m.
Then placed on the unruly a fortnight ago, One Over Da Stars was away safely and looped the field to sit parked over the last 1000m.
Ricky May had to nurse her around the home turn but once balanced up, One Over Da Stars was finishing at such a rate she was going to pick up the winner Wee Man Trouble, but she galloped and was disqualified for breaking for more than 50m in the run home.
This week’s race for trotting fillies and mares is clearly the most interesting one of the night with a number of talented types engaged including last season’s top juvenile filly Cheerful, who also made a mistake when resuming a fortnight ago.
One Over Da Stars’ younger half-sister, One Over Da Skye, is resuming this week and she can win after a really nice winning trial last week, while should the favourites once again get it wrong, Zsa Zoe is very likely to pounce and there are others just as capable.
Complicating matters further is the suspension of May, which puts Ben Hope on One Over Da Stars and Gavin Smith on One Over Da Skye for the first time.
About the only thing that is clearly known is that One Over Da Stars will win if she trots all the way, and no surprises that Williams describes her antics as “absolutely frustrating”.
“She’s always been like that but we thought it would just be a matter of time before she came out of it,” he said.
“But we’re two years down the track and she hasn’t improved at all and we’re starting to think that maybe she won’t ever.
“It’s heart breaking because she has so much talent and could be anything.
“The problems arise when you don’t let her do her own thing although it doesn’t take much to upset her.
“It’s incredibly frustrating because she never does anything wrong at home and you can’t fix something that’s not wrong.
“She’s fine when she gets to the front and can do her own thing – it wouldn’t surprise me to see Ben driving her quite aggressively this week – but that’s not going to be easy from the unruly mark over 1980m.
“The longer trips will help but we’re basically giving her until the end of the season to sort herself out, otherwise she can go to stud.”
Williams has also had a frustrating run with One Over Da Moon lately and will be hoping for better things when he races in the Gr.3 Maryborough Trotters Cup in Victoria shortly after his half-sister’s race at Addington.
“He was also galloping in his races at Menangle so we’ve moved him to Brent Lilley and he’s having his first race for him.”
- NZ Harness News
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