By Jonny Turner
Gronkowski looks set to resume normal transmission for trainer Tyler Dewe at Winton on Saturday.
Gronkowski along with Eyre I Will, James Cagney and Flying Bird look strong plays for win punters on a ten-race card at Central Southland Raceway.
Race 5 – Gronkowski (2) – Opening Fixed Odds $2.70
Tyler Dewe’s team has been a little quiet recently after a bug went through his stable.
Dewe has clearly put the issue in the rear-view with the rookie trainer set to line up his biggest team at a race meeting on Saturday.
And he rates Gronkowski the biggest winning threat among them.
“He comes up with a beautiful draw in 2 and on paper he does look the horse to beat,” Dewe said.
“He has been working good and he seems in the zone.”
Race 3 – Eyre I Will (3) – Opening Fixed Odds $1.90
Eyre I Will was very costly when missing away in his first standing start at Rangiora last weekend.
The mistake prompted trainer Mark Jones to make changes that he hopes will help the trotter find his feet early in race 3.
After impressing in his recent trials, Eyre I Will should take plenty of stopping is he is able to do that.
“He galloped away for no reason at all, really,” Jones said.
“We have made some gear changes and changed his shoeing since then.”
“He has worked pretty good and he would take care of a maiden field if he was to trot on Saturday.”
Race 2 – James Cagney (7) – Opening Fixed Odds $1.90
James Cagney has shown the talent required to win a maiden race and he gets no better chance to break through than in race 2 on Saturday.
The pacer debuts for the Mark Jones stable in an even lower grade maiden event.
Though Jones has not trialled James Cagney ahead of his new stable debut, the trainer is confident his horse is forward enough to run a big race.
“He gets into a pretty even field so he should get his chance,” Jones said.
“On his work he would be pretty competitive, but I would say he has probably worked pretty good before because he has gone out favourite plenty of times.”
“We haven’t trialled him but we worked him on Saturday and his work was pretty good, good enough to head straight to the races anyway.”
Race 6 – Flying Bird (11) – Opening Fixed Odds $4.50
On paper, Flying Bird faces a tough task to overcome barrier three on the second row in race 6.
With excellent recent form, Flying Bird was a big chance of starting favourite had she drawn a more suitable alley.
But trainer-driver Matthew Williamson is hopeful the filly can overcome her less than ideal draw.
“She has got a second line draw, that is the only bugbear there,” Williamson said.
“But I would like to think she would be very hard to beat even from that draw.”
“Her work has been very good.”
