By Matt Markham
Craig Edmonds would love nothing more than win a Banks Peninsula Trotting Cup on his home track at Motukarara, but he’s not sure if his current open class trotting mare, Kincaslough, will be the horse to do it.
The Group One placed squaregaiter was an impressive winner at the Rangiora trials on Wednesday as she began her march towards the Dominion Handicap in November but Edmonds, who trains in partnership with his daughter Aimee, hasn’t decided yet where he’s going to kick things off with the daughter of Love You.
“I’d love to win the big race on the home track but I’m not 100 per cent certain on her on the grass,’’ Edmonds said.
“She’s been fine when I have worked her on it in the past, but at race speed it’s a completely different ball game.
“She can drag her feet a bit. That’s fine on the grit, but on the grass track you can often get found out.
“I remember I took Alapachicola there one day thinking he would be really hard to beat, but he couldn’t trot a yard in it.’’
Edmonds wasn’t completely ruling the Derek Jones Memorial out, but gave the clear impression that a bit more pondering was required before he made any firm decisions.
What the Motukarara horseman will now be able to do however is map out the plan for Kincaslough with a little more confidence.
The now six-year-old mare looked right on song with her front running display on Wednesday in the hands of Aimee as she dashed over her last 800 metres in 59 seconds untouched to win by a length and a half from Habibti and Harrysul.
“She’s come back really well,’’ Edmonds said.
“We will probably look at getting a couple more runs under her belt before we head to the races.
“But everything is on track at the moment so hopefully it continues.’’
Should Motukarara be thrown off the table, the Edmonds pairing have the option of a C4-OC trot at Addington a week before the Canterbury Park Trotting Cup.
Third in the Dominion Handicap behind Jaccka Justy last year, Kincaslough looks to be one trotter who is capable of footing it with Stent, Master Lavros and co. in feature races this season.
Habibti, in her first public appearance since October last year was good running home for second while Harrysul also made up good ground to finish third although he is likely to be scratched from Addington on Friday night after Stevie Golding was not completely happy with how he trotted in the early stages of the heat.
it will happen with Kincaslough or not.
And you would think that in Kincaslough the Motukarara horseman has a ready-made trotting star capable of helping him tick the task off the bucket list.
But the Group 1 placed
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