By Michael Guerin
A return to Alexandra Park might be all Risk needs to find himself back in the winner’s circle tonight.
Already a feature race winner at northern headquarters at a serious level this season — beating the likes of Ohoka Punter, Sky Major and Lancewood Lizzie — Risk faces a second line draw in tonight’s main pace.
He goes into the 2200m mobile without a public outing since racing below his best in the Sales Series Pace at Kaikoura five weeks ago, after which he was found to have a slight cough.
But driver Todd Mitchell says the left-handed, flat track at Kaikoura also played against the talented four-year-old.
“He just isn’t quite as good left handed yet and that is why he will love being back at The Park this week,” says Mitchell.
“I haven’t driven him since Kaikoura but Andrew and Lyn (Neal, trainers) wouldn’t be lining him up unless he was ready to go.”
Mitchell says while he will have to negotiate a second line draw with Risk, the fact he has no rivals drawn outside him on the second line is a big help.
“It means I can move him away and get into the running line pretty easily and it is definitely better than drawing out wide.
“I think he will end up an open class horse and he has already beaten some of the best.
“But they are doing the right thing by him and not aiming him at the Auckland Cup because he has plenty of good four-year-old races to aim at.
“But this time next year I am sure he will be up there.”
Risk will be able to follow what should be close to 2:40 speed for the 2200m tonight and even though he will need to chase down some smart mares in Art Critic and Charleston Belle, none of his rivals tonight can claim scalps quite like those Risk has beaten.
While he is heading to open class, the star of the show at Alexandra Park tonight is already there, with Mum’s Pride chasing a $10,000 bonus in race five.
The Ultimate Award goes to any horse whose first 10 career wins come at Alexandra Park only and understandably trotters have dominated it, although pacing mare River Polka did achieve it two starts ago.
Mum’s Pride was a comprehensive winner off a similar handicap last start and should improve with that and with only one rival on the front line his handicap may not be as bad as it looks on paper.
Tonight’s meeting sees the southern assault on Alexandra Park for the month intensify, with plenty of lower grade newcomers.
One to be watched is Harriet Of Mot in race seven, a leg of the $50,000 terminating Pick6.
She was a star of the NZ Cup trials but galloped away in her comeback race on Show Day. While Alexandra Park can trip up inexperienced trotters she has a huge motor.
For real night owls, the final round of heats for the Perth Inter Dominions start about two hours after the last at Alexandra Park.
With leading points scorer Lennytheshark and Philadelphia Man having to draw wide under the conditions of tonight’s heats they will at least get to backable odds but with both safely qualified for the final punters should be careful about going crazy on them tonight.
Approved By Dean Baring www.harnessbred.com
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