By Brigette Solomon
Driver Jay Abernethy has already scored a winning double at Manawatu this week and hopes his luck will continue tonight with a handy book of five drives that include both Tuesday’s winners.
Abernethy’s first win on Tuesday was with the Arna Donnelly trained Rough And Ready who took out the Hawera Harness Racing Is Good To Go Are You? Mobile Pace.
Abernethy quickly found the front to dictate the pace throughout. The Somebeachsomewhere gelding was full of running and looked in no danger of being beat in the home straight when he let down to win comfortably by a length over Warloch who tried hard in defeat. It was Rough And Ready’s 16th win and brought his total earnings to just over $179,000.
“He was good on Tuesday, once he found the front he travelled really well and won it pretty nicely in the end,” said Abernethy.
In the Café Jacko Palmerstonian Mobile Pace over 2000 metres, Rough and Ready is one of four Donnelly trained runners competing in the race, along with Beta Prepare (3), Bad Medicine (4), and Cracker Rock (8).
“It’s a similar field tonight except he hasn’t drawn as well, but he should be able to hold his own and hopefully get another good result.”
The Fred Mitchell trained Manchester In Time was Abernethy’s second winner on Tuesday with the gelding having no trouble overcoming his 45 metre handicap to take out the Grass Track Racing @ Hawera Is The Only Way Handicap Trot.
“He’s been a great horse for Fred (Mitchell) and even though he sometimes feels flat at stages in the race, he just keeps going, he’s such a tough little horse,” said Abernethy, “Fred’s done a great job with him and he’s just got better and better with time.”
The four-year-old Peak gelding stepped well and tacked on to the tail of the field within the first 600 metres.
Down the back straight on the first occasion Abernethy moved three wide to circumnavigate the field, taking the lead with 1000 metres left to run, and once in front he allowed the gelding to up the tempo over the final lap. Challenged by Royal Action with 500 metres to run, Manchester In Time appeared to be tiring at the top of the straight, but he rallied to pick up again, fighting on to win by 2.5 lengths over Royal Action.
It was the gelding’s eighth career win and sixth this season, with five of those at Manawatu over the 2500 metre trip. He races again tonight in race two, The Tank Guy Handicap Trot, starting once again off a 45 metre handicap.
“He’s off the back mark again tonight but it’s a small field and similar to what he raced on Tuesday, so I think he’ll go another good race tonight.”
Alongside his winners on Tuesday, Abernethy also drove Bet On Polly and Fredastaire to second placings in their respective races, and he is engaged to drive both again at tonight’s meeting.
Bet On Polly (7) starts in race three, the Buy Wholesale Vehicles Mobile Pace, while Fredastaire (8) starts in race six, the Orakinetics Mobile Pace.
“It’s a shame Bet On Polly hasn’t drawn so well as she went a good race on Tuesday despite still racing a bit greenly and I think she’ll be one that will do a good job for Murray (Gibbs) once she gets the hang of racing,” says Abernethy, “Fredastaire really stuck on well on Tuesday and was only beaten a nose and I think he’ll go a good race again despite the second row draw.”
Race one gets underway tonight at 5.04pm.
