By Duane Ranger
Better B Amazed should win Thursday’s feature pacing event at Cambridge Raceway, but whether she can take the next step up at Addington Raceway on Friday week (Show Day) is another story.
That’s the opinion of the 4-year-old mare’s driver Scott Phelan.
“She should really be winning on Thursday if she is going to take her place in the Listed ($40,000) Southern Mares Classic in Christchurch next week. We think a lot of her and that’s why she’s heading south,” Phelan said.
The Steve Telfer and Chris Garlick trained daughter of Bettor’s Delight has drawn the ace in Thursday’s $8,000 Farmlands Hautapu Handicap for C3 and faster pacers. She goes into that 2700m handicap with a nice fresh-up one length victory over the 2200m mobile at Cambridge two Sundays ago. She drew three that day and as a $1.80 favourite returned a slick 1:57.4 mile rate. It was her eight win in 16 starts which includes three from three at Cambridge Raceway.
“We were rapt with her first-up run. That was just the blow-out she needed for Thursday and next week. She should benefit from that and be hard to beat.
“She’s got a lot of speed and should be able to control the race from her good draw. I have got a lot of time for her. She’s a real nice mare but whether she measures up to the good ones down south well that is still to be seen.
“That will be a great gauge as to where she is exactly at. Steve and Chris will know whether to target the big mares’ races like the Queen Of Hearts with her later on.
“She’s done a great job so far and we can only go on that. Win bet on Thursday though,” Phelan said.
The two 6-year-olds drawn outside Better B Amazed will be toughest for her to beat.
The Arna Donnelly trained and driven Hudy Haxwell (2) has improved with each run on his home track this campaign. Four of his six wins have come at Cambridge including two over Thursday’s distance. The Logan Hollis and Shane Robertson trained Stars And Sound was an impressive last start winner on the track four weeks ago and can give some cheek from his kind draw again. This will be his first start over the 2700 metres.
Meanwhile, Phelan rated the unruly backmarker (30m) Chosen Path as his second best drive of the night.
The Sean McCaffrey and Ross Paynter trained gelding will start in the fourth event – the $7000 Vero Insurance NZ Handicap for C1 and faster trotters.
“I reckon he’s a good chance in that race. An uncharacteristic break cost him last time. He can be right in this with a clean getaway,” Phelan said.
Fellow back-marker Monseigneur will also be tough to get past in that race. The Brendan Schumacher trained and Fergus Schumacher driven 5-year-old will be much better for his first-up run at Alexandra Park last week. He also loves Cambridge having nailed four of his five wins there, including one over the 2200 metres.
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