by Jonny Turner
The stars look to be aligning for Got You Covered ahead of the Cromwell Cup on Saturday.
The pacer gets back on his favoured grass surface while attempting to add another grass track feature to his impressive record when he starts from a 10m handicap in the summer feature.
Got You Covered will link up with the Invercargill Cup-winning reinswoman Sarah O’Reilly, with regular driver Samantha Ottley teaming up with race rival Deny Everything.
The combination of O’Reilly and trainer Brent and Tim White took out the recent Group One Invercargill Cup, and they are hopeful they can grab more cup success at Cromwell.
“He does look like a good chance; we’ve gone for a powerful combination – with chucking Sarah on this week,” Tim White said.
“So yeah, the confidence is there with him and hopefully we can go a good race.”
Deny Everything disappointed in his last start in the Gore Cup when fading before the home turn.
Trainer Mark Jones is hopeful the pacer can turn in an improved performance at Cromwell, after having more time to settle into his temporary base in Central Otago.
“He would want to be better than his last start, but he probably had an excuse,” Jones said.
“He has settled into Cromwell and had a hopple run since, and I have been a lot happier with him.”
“He is a class horse on his day but he has got a lot of issues.”
“It can depend on how you get him on that day.”
Phil Williamson has a three-pronged attack on the Cromwell Trotters Cup on Saturday with Missile, Our Pinocchio, and Jimmy Carter.
Williamson has opted for reliability when suggesting Our Pinocchio will be the safest option for the punters who want to follow his team.
“Our Pinocchio has the manners, but Jimmy Carter off the back mark is probably the better horse.”
“But he has got to bring his A-game,” Williamson said.
Jimmy Carter comes into the Cromwell feature after an excellent second at Omakau on Tuesday.
“He went a great race, probably one of the best of his career against that sort of opposition,” Williamson said.
“It won’t be easy this race from the back mark, but if he brought his manners, he would be right in it.”
Our Pinocchio won at Omakau on Tuesday but he steps up to race a higher class of opposition on Saturday.
“He went really well at Omakau; it is a different step up to these horses but with the right run, he could be a danger.”
Missile ran a solid fourth at Omakau after working in the running following a brilliant win on Invercargill Cup Day.
“He has been racing really well, and if he bought his A-game, he would be a first-four chance, for sure.”
Andy Hall looks the big threat to the Williamson trio following his tough victory in the Gore Trotters Cup late last month.
