By Matt Markham
There’s more questions lurking about the place than there is potential answers ahead of another premier night of harness racing tonight at Addington, but by the end of the night at least a few of them should have been answered, once and for all.
Who will take the crown as the best two-year-old male pacer in the land, can Master Lavros shoot himself into contention for the Rowe Cup and which two-year-old will stand up and claim some authority in what has been a very even crop thus far?
The most pertinent of the above is, of course, the Group One New Zealand Derby.
Ultimate Machete, the Sires’ Stakes King, against the excitement machine of Vincent and a plethora of other up and coming pacing stars, with $200,000 on the line.
From the outset this season Natalie Rasmussen has held a burning desire to run Ultimate Machete over 2600 metres.
“He’s just going to love a Derby over a bit of distance,” she has enthused.
“There’s all the makings there of a quality stayer and he will relish a really tough run race.”
She gets her chance tonight, but will have to pull some of that magic out of her hat if she is to hold up from the ace alley and look to dominate from the top. With gate speed outside her, the pressure will be on and how Rasmussen reacts will hold a massive bearing on the race.
She will be keeping a close eye on Vincent too.
He was phenomenal last week after a tough run and Mark Purdon could not have been happier with him.
“He kept coming and he kept fighting,” Purdon said.
“That was what I was probably most pleased with, it was a good test run ahead of the Derby.”
Purdon will have options, he can press the go button early and try to dash to the top, or he can stay out of all the early fireworks and work into the race when it suits him.
Tiger Thompson’s appearance will add a bit of spark to the race with his ability, undoubted.
The Brad Mowbray trained pacer hasn’t been racing since his Auckland trip, where nothing went right, and he’s hoping a freshen up and a return to the familiar Addington might do the trick.
“Because he tends to take so much out of himself in his races, backing him up isn’t a great idea I don’t think,” Mowbray said.
“So we are going in to the Derby with one trial, some might say that’s mad, but we’re just happy to be there.”
If there is to be a sleeper in the race, it could be Jack’s Legend. The Barry Purdon trained runner hasn’t had an awful lot of luck in major races this season, but could get it tonight if he can hold the back of Ultimate Machete early.
On record the Fred Shaw Memorial Trotting Championship should be a formality, but Master Lavros doesn’t do much normal these days.
The two-time Dominion Handicap winner has a perfect chance to get his Rowe Cup campaign on track in the Group One although he will have to deal with the young legs of the likes of Everybody Knows, Wilma’s Mate and Quite A Moment.
Enghien will start incredibly short in the New Zealand Trotting Derby on his efforts to date as he looks to do what his champion stablemate, Monbet, couldn’t do and that’s win a Group One at three.
Selections – By Matt Markham
Race 1: Curlimore, Mac Almighty, Bettor To Be Tricky, Sacred Angel
Race 2: Tornado Valley, The Foot Tapper, Destiny Jones, Royal Shine
Race 3: Volatile Lavra, Shesa Tricky Bridge, Gunpowder, Donegal Carrickfinn
Race 4: Spankem, Major Shard, Aloka, The Brooklyn Brawler
Race 5: Enghien, President Roydon, Heavyweight Hero, CK Spur
Race 6: Lazarus, Waikiki Beach, Classie Brigade, Locharburn
Race 7: Quite A Moment, Master Lavros, Wilma’s Mate, Everybody Knows
Race 8: Ultimate Machete, Vincent, Let It Ride, Jack’s Legend
Race 9: Riccardo, Whittaker, Queen Bee Bardon, Shineonyoucrazydiamond
Race 10: Sparkling Delight, Clasina Maria, Late Mail, Glentoro
Best Bet: Sparkling Delight (Race 10)
Value: Tornado Valley (Race 2)
Approved By Dean Baring www.harnessbred.com
Driving The Future Of Harness Racing
