by Tayler Strong
Och Aye The Noo, who overcame a check to finish third last week, could be compensated with a win at Forbury Park tonight (Thursday).
She is an even more appealing prospect in race seven as a seven-win trotter against horses who have won one or two races.
Her trainer Martin Denton has made two gear changes.
“Her driver (Rory McIlwrick) will carry a whip and she will have removable deafeners, replacing the fixed ones,’’ said Denton. “The changes might just improve her a length.”
He felt that Och Aye The Noo should have won last week, rather than making a late bid for third after a check at the 950m that sent her off-stride.
Despicable Me (race four) is a newcomer to the Denton stable at Momona after being leased by 91-year-old Colin Taylor, of Mosgiel. The four-year-old ran seventh last week from the Jamie Gameson stable.
Denton is planning to start Clifton Tactic in a heat of the South Of The Waitaki series at Addington next week.
“She (Clifton Tactic) wasn’t right at her last start (fourth at Forbury Park on June 1) and she had 10 days off,’’ said Denton.
Clifton Tactic has not finished further back than fourth in nine starts this season, with wins at Forbury Park and Invercargill.
The two-year-old trotter Imperial Whiz is a rival for Och Aye The Noo tonight and on the road to Christchurch the next day for an assignment at Addington.
Imperial Whiz cleared maiden ranks at Forbury Park last week, at his 24th start for Washdyke owner-trainer Alan Clark. He will only have to make an appearance on the track at Addington, to be awarded the heat of the Australasian Breeders Crown as the only entry.
Clark won a heat of the Breeders Crown for two-year-old trotters with the filly Constar at Addington in 2006. She won by 28 lengths from Feather’s First and Paradise Earl. Constar ran fifth in the $150,000 BC final at Ballarat that year. She won six of her 13 starts at two.
Another Clark-trainer trotter The Fiery Ginga won seven including the NZ Trotting Stakes from 18 starts at that age. The Fiery Ginga won an Inter-Dominion heat at Ballarat in 2012 as a five-year-old.
“Constar was not at her best in Australia due to travel sickness. It affected her lungs and she bled as a three-year-old and I retired her,” said Clark.
“I am not sure if I will take Imperial Whiz to Australia. He might be sold. He went through a bad patch with a blood disorder and I feel he is back to his best.”
Castletonian was another trotter taken to Australia by Clark and he ran fourth in a heat of the 2009 Victoria Trotting Derby.
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