By Duane RangerIdle Bones is working a treat and is close to her 12th career win at Alexandra Park on Friday night, but her trainer/driver thinks the feature trot might be a bridge too far for the talented 7-year-old grey mare.
“She could win off even marks but the 35-metre handicap is going to make it virtually impossible to beat the likes of the Herlihy runner (The Almighty Johnson), who is 20m better off in the handicaps than us,” Mangos said.
“I’m a bit bewildered because every other mare in Australasia that races against the boys gets a claim,” he added.
Idle Bones will have her 53rd career start in the $14,999 National Trot Nominations Handicap for the R89 to R100 rated squaregaiters. She is the top rated horse in the field at R99.
“I can’t fault her work and she’s raced well in her three races this campaign finishing second in her last two Alexandra Park starts off 35 and 30m.
“She’s in good touch, but from 35m I would say she’s a place prospect or first four chance,” Mangos said.
Idle Bones has won six times over Friday’s distance and four on the track. He finished one-a-quarter lengths when giving that gelding a 30m head-start when third favourite at ‘The Park’ a fortnight ago.
“There’s not much I can do but keep lining the mare up and then when the Christmas Carnival kicks in up here the fields should get stronger and all going well she should be off a good mark.
“It’s just so tough otherwise, but I’m really pleased with the way she has come back this time in. She has given a good account of herself in all three starts,” Waiau Pa-based Mangos said.
Idle Bones is the ninth of eleven foals out of the maiden Sundon mare, Idle Fiori.
Her first foal, Idle Wishes (by Grant Our Wishes) won seven of her 95 starts and $97,512 for her former trainers, Stephen Hale and Mike Austin.
The family traces back to brilliant trotter Idle Scott.
If Idle Bones can recapture her form of last year when placing in the Group Three Northern Trotting Breeders Stakes then she would win this race no matter what handicap she’s on.
Mangos will also link up with the John and Josh Dickie trained Arethusa Spur in the fifth event.
“I don’t know much about her except that she did win well for the Dickies a fortnight ago on the track. It’s going to be tough from this draw in a new grade. Place and first four too,” he said.
“I’m looking forward to the drive though. Josh can’t front because he’s driving at Addington,” he added.
Mangos’s only other drive comes in race six when he drives the Tony Herlihy (MNZM) trained The Dali express in race six. Herlihy will drive later in the carde once he returns from Addington.
“He has a nice draw to work with (1), and I see he won well in Southland last start (October 1). he’s obviously got the goods or else Tony wouldn’t have taken him on.
“It’s a nice field and for that reason I’d be happy if he ran in the first four,” Mangos said.
He said Idle Bones was his best drive of the night, even from her 35m back-mark.
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