By Jonny Turner
Early tactics and race tempo are set to play a vital part in how Regan Todd’s four-strong team fare at Addington on Friday night.
Todd starts his night with eye-catching triallist Shut Up N Dance in race 1.
The four-year-old heads into her 1980m debut assignment on the back of a workout and trial win at Rangiora.
Those efforts have come after Shut Up N Dance moved north to Todd’s Woodend Beach stable after she showed promise for Nathan Williamson.
“Nathan really, really liked her and he gave her a couple of workouts,” Todd said.”
“She never went lame or anything silly like that, he was just a bit worried about one of her tendons.”
“So he just put her aside and looked after her and he thought she would be a bit better off up here at the beach.”
Shut Up N Dance has clearly trialled well ahead of her return and will front as fit as she can be without having the advantage of race day fitness.
“She has had two trials and she will be ready to rumble,” Todd said.
“Not having race day fitness is the only thing that could come back to bite her.”
Todd returns to Addington with Play Philly following her impressive debut earlier this month.
Switching from barrier 4 to barrier 8 this time means the two-year-old may need to be driven differently than in her front-running debut win.
“It is going to be hard from the draw, you can’t set them alight every week,” Todd said.
“If possible we will probably be looking for cover, hopefully, there is a bit of speed on and she can do it from behind this time.”
Todd lines up both Hurricane Hill and Isla Elsie from behind the mobile in race 5.
Hurricane Hill impressed when making up a big slice of ground after galloping in his last start at Addington.
The trotter’s maiden win came from behind the mobile and reverting back from a stand looks a major plus for him on Friday night.
“He has got the ability, but he is taking a bit of sorting out,” Todd said.
“He is a four-year-old but he acts like he is two.”
“He will get there, the penny will drop one day.”
“He is hard to follow but he can do it when he wants to.”
Drawing barrier 1 can be tricky for a trotting still learning the ropes, but Todd is hopeful Hurricane Hill can handle it.
“He is probably better from a mobile than he is from a stand and he will probably be able to hold up and settle where he wants to.”
“He was pretty good in his first start at Ashburton.”
Todd also starts Isla Elsie in race 5.
Like Hurricane Hill, the trotter is well capable of going a big race if she brings her manners.
“I wouldn’t write her off.”
“She missed away last time and never got into it.”
“She did go very good up at Blenheim on the first day.”
Robbie Close drives Hurricane Hill with John Dunn to steer Isla Elsie.
Close also drives Play Philly while Matthew Williamson drives Shut Up N Dance.
