By Matt Markham
A $15 chance for tonight’s Premier Mares’ Championship at Addington, Hopeful Harriet isn’t being given much hope of success.
But that’s not stopping the dour mare’s trainer, Regan Todd, from thinking she can get herself in on the action if things happen to fall in the right places for her during the Group 2 $40,000 event.
A brilliant winner of the Marlborough Cup two starts back, the diminutive mare has shown a real liking for a dog fight and may get conditions to suit tonight from a good barrier draw.
“Her win at Blenheim showed she is capable of doing it,” Todd said.
“I wouldn’t read too much into her last start, in fact I think we will forget it, and just base it on what she did when she won.
“I’ve been really happy with her work this week so hopefully we are on the right track.”
Drawn barrier three, Hopeful Harriet has the slight disadvantage of having two speedy mares drawn inside her in Bronze Over and C A Penny, but there’s some confidence she can hold her own out of the gate if she needs to.
“I’ll be leaving it to Robbie (Close), he can judge things once they are out there. But if we had to ask her to run a bit early I think she would.
“Ideally it’s a case of getting ourselves into the best possible spot and seeing what happens from there.
“But I’d like to think she’s a bit of a chance, it’s not a field of stars, just some nice honest mares.”
Todd has just one other runner engaged at the meeting in Righteous Brother who, despite some strong recent efforts was opened at $33 last night due to the fact he takes on an incredibly strong field including the likes of; The Honey Badger, Rakapuka Ruler, Don Domingo, A G’s Whitesocks and Cash N Flow.
“He’s probably a place chance at best in a field like that, but he’ll begin quick and put himself in the race.”
Todd will be able to get his most high-pressure moment of the night out of the way early too when Master Lavros steps out in the Summer Trotting Free-For-All.
As the pseudo trainer of the two-time Dominion winner, Todd knows better than anyone how the big trotter is progressing.
And he’s been pretty happy this week.
“I’ve noticed he’s stepped up a bit since that last run, his work yesterday (Wednesday) was very good I thought.
“But it won’t be easy from out wide over 1950 so we will just be happy if he does everything right and gets around safely and pulls up sound.”
Life won’t be easy for Master Lavros though with Marcoola returning to the mix for the event while other good performers like Harriet Of Mot and Everybody Knows are also engaged in the race.
Super Selector – Addington – By Matt Markham
Race 1: Spanish Armada, Delightful Memphis, Trendy Bromac, Pick My Pocket
Race 2: Bailey’s Knight, Let It Ride, Hilarious Magic, Articulight
Race 3: Le Reveur, Hey Yo, Habibti Ivy, Gershwin
Race 4: Mrs Browns Boys, The Valiant, Culley Backy, Our Quinn
Race 5: Marcoola, Master Lavros, Everybody Knows, Harriet Of Mot
Race 6: Tiger Thompson, Gotta Go Ya Hu, Real Obsession, Wanted Man
Race 7: Classie Brigade, Captain Dolmio, Christen Me, Locharburn
Race 8: Rakapuka Ruler, Don Domingo, A G’s Whitesocks, Cash N Flow
Race 9: Heaven Rocks, Ears Burning, Cable Beach, Buster Brady
Race 10: Queen Bee Bardon, Better B Amazed, CA Penny, Hopeful Harriet
Race 11: Chevron Express, All Settled Down, Lavros Jack, Redwood Invasion
Race 12: Franco Hampton, Bettor To Be Tricky, Molly Sims, Makers Mark
Best Bet: Tiger Thompson (Race 6)
Value: Hey Yo (Race 3)
Approved By Dean Baring www.harnessbred.com
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