By Jonny Turner
Corravally Star can round out an epic country cups season with victory in the Mount Hutt Trotting Cup at Methven on Sunday.
The Bruce Negus trained pacer goes into the 3000m grass track feature having started in eight previous qualifying events in the New Zealand Country Championship series.
Currently ranked outside the top 16 spots to make the field for the $100,000 final at Addington, Corravally Star needs to win to maximise his hopes of a shot at that rich prize pool.
Driver Sam Thornley thinks he can do exactly that.
“I think he looks like a good eachway chance if he gets a bit of luck.”
“Hopefully he can step away and get off the fence.”
“I thought he was back to his best in his last run, they ran home in 55sec (800m) and he got home good.”
“He was just a bit far off them.”
Corravally Star stars from barrier 1 on the 10m mark in Sunday’s feature which is filled with hopefuls attempting to seal a start in the New Zealand Country Championship Final at Addington next weekend.
The in-form Thornley has a strong book of drives at Methven which includes Royal Pride in race 10.
The Fred Fletcher trained four-year-old looks one of the reinsman’s best winning chances.
“I think he should be hard to beat by the way he has been working.”
“We gave him a let up because he just wasn’t going right.”
“He got disqualified a couple of times because he galloped early, but he seems to be trotting a lot better now.”
Thornley also combines with the Fletcher trained Paris Prince in race 5.
The four-year-old has impressed in three starts at the races and comes into the event on the back of a good third at Rangiora.
“I think he is a real good show.”
“When he ran third last week he was three wide for the last 1000m on his own.”
“It was a huge run and if he does everything right I think he should be hard to beat.”
Thornley combines with both Mister Blue Sky (race 2) and Times Are A Changin (race 6) for trainer Barry Ward.
Both horses have copped tricky second line draws with Mister Blue Sky looking the stronger chance of the pair.
“He ran third the other day in my first drive on him and he went good.”
“He has drawn out so we will see what happens, hopefully he can get a bit of luck.”
Thornley will also put the Negus colours on again in race 9 behind Shards A Flyin.
“I think he could be a good chance over the mile.”
“Hopefully we can get to the fence and we should be right.”
Thornley goes into Sunday’s meeting on eight wins for the season, placing him fifth on the national junior driver’s premiership.
