BIG DAY AT ASHBURTON MONDAY
12.07: Pace n Pride (16) -Visitors draw-but will it matter ?
1.17: Delightful Dude (2) Draw another thing in his favour
2.27: Its All About Faith (2) - resuming battle with Krug in another good sortie
3.37: Ashley Locaz (3) Tim Spankem (6) Natalie. Self Assured (ur) -only 3 in this year!
4.47: Beyond Words (4) scr Shan Noble (15) Bigger things coming up but big here too
FILLIES WILL SHAKE UP THE AUCKLAND SCENE THIS WEEK!
6.44: What’s Your Secret (5) non winners
8.04: Bettor Twist (8)
Avana (12) (preferential draws for former heat winners. Both are)
8.59: Darling Me (2) R45 to R 54
The All Stars big guns among the fillies -or most of them- are to be unleashed at Alexandra Park on Friday. They can’t post a 100 per cent record unless there is a dead heat but it will be so close to that it doesn’t matter
Last week’s trials showed these fillies to be in great order and while two have bad draws in the Sires Stakes heat that is because they are already heat winners and so get the two worst marbles. It may not be enough to stop them.
What’s Your Secret, such an impressive triallist and bound for far better things, is in a maiden race. Go figure
Darling Me is against the boys in an R45 to 54 race and might improve more than the others on trial form -not always a reliable guide- but she looks very hard to beat also. She is up against Nevada a former All Star now with Joshua Dickie who drove him in his earlier starts in the north.
Check back later in the week for the expert’s views.
ADDINGTON
4.07: (non tote) Amazing Dream -Nevele R heaat
8.01 Gopati (5) Olivia
******
THE MOMENTS OF TRUTH FOR NZ CUP HOPES
A COMPETITIVE FINISH TO LAST YEAR’S FLYING STAKES WON BY SPANKEM IN SOME STYLE FROM THEFIXER, SELF ASSURED, CHASE AUCKLAND AND ANOTHER MASTERPICE (INSIDE) ALL STARS HAD THE FIRST FIVE HOME OF SEVEN RUNNERS
“It looks a three horse race at the moment but the Flying Stakes will give us a better picture” -a recent comment by Mark on the outcome of the NZ Cup and not the time is near. One of the biggest moments leading into the Cup will happen this weekend
For the All Stars stable it will largely be an assessment of how COPY THAT-the third horse- fronts up in the south after some rather easier pickings in the north and how forward ASHLEY LOCAZ is for the big race.
That is assuming SELF ASSURED and SPANKEM,last year’s winner, are where Mark and Natalie think they are at- and who would know better ?
Ashley Locaz only arrived in Auckland on Sunday and his to find his way home before Monday and take no harm from the trip. He will still be expected to go a good race but it won’t be as good as he is likely to produce on Cup Day.
CLASSIE BRIGADE who can’t be counted out of Cup talk just on the times he is running is missing this week .
It is a sign of the times that only 6 runners have three figure ratings which is why it soes seem an easier Cup for punters to pick this year-but then we thought that last year.
A disappointment from any of the “big three” -while not likely= could shake some confidence in that statement It will be a fascinating race even if only from that point of vi
T
T