Two $35,000 Northern Metro series finals at Alexandra Park on Friday night will feature in harness racing action around the country this week.
The week kicks off with the “Trot into Tuesday” at Cambridge today with seven races, starting at 4.45pm before the third October mid-week meeting at Addington Raceway on Wednesday. Friday will again see dual venue action at Addington and Alexandra Park before the Tuapeka Cup day meeting at Ascot Park in Invercargill on Sunday and then Ashburton’s massive day on Labour Day Monday which will see the Group 2 Ashburton Flying Stakes as well as two Group 3s.
Addington’s card on Friday will be highlighted by the $45,000 Group 3 Macca Lodge Sires’ Stakes 2YO Fillies Classic while Auckland will see the running of $35,000 Finals, for the pacers and trotters.
The heats and finals format has become a staple of racing at Alexandra Park in recent months. Friday’s final comes after two heats in both gaits were held last Friday. The trotters’ heats were won by Five O’Clock Gerry and Taylad To use while the pacers’ heats were taken out by Dawson and Seaclusion.
The last Final held at the Park was last Friday when the David Butcher trained and driven You Little Beauty won the $30,000 Woodlands Stud Silk Road Northern Series Final.
The next heats will be the pacers and trotters’ Northern Metro Pacers Series on November 1. Again there will be two $16,000 heats in each gait, before two $35,000 Finals on Friday November 8.
C U There best of Derek Balle’s chances at Cambridge
By Brigette Solomon
Pukekohe-based trainer Derek Balle lines up a team of four horses at Cambridge Raceway tonight, with C U There rated as his best chance.
The stable’s first starter is Boss Jo, driven tonight by Balle’s daughter Neita, in Race 1, the EAC Equine Inside Out Trot over 2200 metres.
“She trotted better but hung in last start at Cambridge and as a result didn’t finish off,” says Balle, “we’ve made some adjustments and changed up her steering gear and she could be an each way show if she does everything right.”
The five-year-old mare by Sebastian K is yet to break through for her maiden win, and prior to her last two starts where she got things wrong, her form included a string of placings at Alexandra Park indicating a win might not be too far away.
Up next Balle has two horses starting in Race six, the IRT. Your Horse. Our Passion. Mobile Pace over 2200 metres including last start winner and the early fixed price favourite C U There ($3.10).
The four-year-old mare was gritty when winning at Cambridge on October 8 in the hands of Zachary Butcher who partners the mare again tonight. On that occasion Butcher settled C U There back in running before making a move three wide with a lap to go to land the parked position outside the race favourite Inlouof. From there on the mare battled on to wear down the leader and hold off a late challenge by the second placed I’m Not The Maid, scoring the win by a length.
“She seems well and won nicely last start,” says Balle, “she has trained on well since and from barrier four I think she’s probably my best chance of tonight’s runners.”
The dual gaited Conrad H is Balle’s second runner in the same race and with a second and third placing in his last two starts here at Cambridge it would be no surprise to see him feature amongst the place getters. The Love You gelding starts from barrier seven and is driven by Neita Balle.
“He keeps stepping up and is loving being a pacer but unfortunately I couldn’t say the same about him as a trotter!” says Balle, “we’re enjoying racing him and he’s very happy horse as a pacer.”
The final event of the night is the EAC Equine Instride Handicap Trot in which Balle starts Kimkar Dash. The mare starts tonight’s 2200 metre race off a 30 metre handicap but does drop back in grade after some competitive racing at Alexandra Park over the winter months.
“She galloped early in her fresh up run three weeks ago at Auckland, but it probably wasn’t an ideal race for her being a mobile mile because she’s not always fast away,” says Balle, “she’s better from a stand and going left handed and although she’s still not at full fitness yet, I felt she was better suited to this race as opposed to another mobile mile at Auckland on Friday.”
“As long as she’s running on I’ll be happy as there is still improvement to come in her yet.”
Racing action gets underway with Race 1 at 4.45pm.
