By Michael Guerin
The start of tonight’s feature pace at Addington could determine how busy a weekend Corravally Star has.
Because if the little stallion steps and runs hard he becomes the horse to beat in tonight’s 2000m standing start (race 7) but if he bobbles away he could lose his winning chance and be off to Ashburton on Saturday instead.
Trainer Regan Todd has entered Corravally Star for both tonight and Saturday’s Ashburton Cup and says if he has a real race tonight he won’t head down the highway on Saturday.
“He can be a funny horse, he can step really fast or he can miss away,” he explains.
“If he steps he will roll in front and I think he has a good chance of winning.
“But if he misses away over 2000m he will have no hope and without having a hard run he can go to Ashburton.”
Corravally Star comes into tonight off the back of a 1:52.4 mile at Addington, which is not greatly dissimilar to tonight’s race in that the leaders will have a huge advantage but the big change is last start was a mobile.
In a race with some in-form, hard-running horses like Mighty Looee and Laver the race will be no place for the faint-hearted so it won’t just be Corravally Star who needs to begin well tonight.
Todd has been busy at the sales this week and his weekend will get even busier as he takes debut winner Mo’unga to Cromwell where he steps up in grade and into a junior driver’s race looking for a free win.
“He is a lovely horse and gets two options down there, if he doesn’t win on the first day he can start again on the second.”
And in between those two days he will have reps at Ashburton even if Corravally Star doesn’t make it.
He also has Terry in the same Ashburton Cup but admits it is a tough grade while Play Philly drops back from the group 1 Breeders Stakes into a very winnable race 8.
“I rushed her a bit to get her into the Breeders after she had a wind op but she was ok there and gets her chance this week.”
Todd has had a busy week at the sales in both island targeting quality colts and says he is thrilled with what he was able to purchase.
“It is wonderful to take horses home from the sales you really wanted and I have shares available in most of them so would love people to give me a ring if they want to know more.”
