It’s the end of another week and that means Friday Night Lights at Addington and Auckland. Both venues will feature eight races starting at 5.35pm and 5.43pm with Lakelsa chasing Group 1 glory at Addington and Nathan Delany hoping to celebrate his 25th birthday in style at Alexandra Park.
Lakelsa’s big Group 1 test at Addington
By Michael Guerin
If Lakelsa wants to become a Group 1 winner at Addington tonight she is going to have to keep improving.
The good news for trainer Regan Todd is he thinks she has.
The Canterbury mare has been the huge mover in the national mares pacing ranks this summer, having won her last three races including the Group 2 Mares Championship last start over many of her rivals in tonight’s Fahey Fence Hire Breeders Stakes (7.26pm).
Lakelsa is a rarity in being a high-class mare who didn’t race until she was four so it is hard to predict where her ceiling is.
“She has definitely got better with every run this time in,” says Todd, whose stable is going through a purple patch.
“That win last start over most of these mares was really good but she led that night and a few of them had harder runs and some were quite fresh so they might be fitter this week.
“We also have some gate speed inside us from Ruby Roe and Mr Kaplan so it won’t be as easy as strolling to the front and winning again.
“But she is a good mare and she doesn’t have to lead to win so we have options.
“We know she will need to go to a new peak to win this week but there is no reason she can’t.”
Lakelsa has been aided by Group 1 winners All You Need Is Me (barrier 9) and Treacherous Baby (2 second line) drawing to settle behind her, although Treacherous Baby might be handy soon after the start.
Todd also has Treacherous Gall in tonight’s 2600m mobile and says punters should forget her last start failure in the race Lakelsa won.
“She went too bad to be true and I can’t find reason why so I am willing to forgive her but she has drawn wide in a tough race.”
Tonight’s meeting not only hosts the Group 1 but sees the return of Muscle Mountain, who hasn’t raced since winning the National Trot at Alexandra Park on New Years Eve.
The giant trotter faces only five rivals and three of those are his stablemates so if driver Ben Hope wants Muscle Mountain should be able to stroll to the lead.
If he does the multi punters who took the $1.25 opening price should have a relaxing watch.
That race, the Summer Free-For-All, is Muscle Mountain’s first step toward the $600,000 TAB Trot slot race at Cambridge on April 4, a race which could crown his career as the open class trotting ranks on both sides of the Tasman go through a post-Just Believe transition.
If Todd does win tonight’s Group 1 with Lakelsa it may not be his only major victory for the weekend as his star juvenile pacer of last season Marketplace looks certain to leave tomorrow’s Horse of the Year awards at Addington with a trophy or two.
Marketplace will have his first fast workout away from home next week.
Delany keen to celebrate 25th birthday in style
By Michael Guerin
Nathan Delany has already had the best gift he could hope for in 2025 but he still wouldn’t mind that turning into a few bonus birthday wins at Alexandra Park tonight.
Delany turns 25 today (Friday) and will be at Alexandra Park where he and new training partner Ray Green have 13 of the 59 starters, including five of the six runners in the first two-year-old race of the season, the NZB Standardbred National Yearling Sale 2YO Mobile Pace (6.16pm).
“It is very cool being asked to be in a partnership with Ray, especially at my age,” says Delany.
“It is a chance to learn a lot and with some lovely horses so I am really enjoying it.”
Their domination of tonight’s juvenile race even surpasses, numerically at least, Ross Houghton’s trifecta in the first southern juvenile race at Addington last Friday and Delany says there are two clear standouts.
“Lincoln Linda (R2, No.6) has been a natural right from the word go and has won all three of her trials by leading and being too good,” he says.
But Angelic Copy (1) has been the big imrpover. She has run second to the other filly in every trial and gets closer every week.
“So I think even from the wide draw she will roll forward and be the one to beat but Angelic Copy could push her close late.”
The stable start their night with more than 20 per cent of the total runners with Lincoln La Moose and Commander Lincoln in Race 1, the Next Gen : Own The Thrill Amateur Drivers Mobile Pace and Delany favours Lincoln La Moose, who opened at $3.80 with the bookies.
“He hasn’t had much luck but I think he will get the right run from the ace,” he told HRNZ.
Delany surprises when he opts for the worst drawn of the stable’s trio Commander Lincoln as their best hope in Race 4.
“He is in really good form and he is very versatile so if he has any luck he can overcome the draw.”
The stable has no runners in Race 5, the Woodlands Stud 2025 Yearling Draft Mobile Pace (7.43pm). It promises to be the highlight of the night as smart three-year-old Rubira makes his northern debut in his first outing since finishing second to Marketplace in the Sires Stakes Final on Cup Day.
He has trialled twice in the last fortnight but faces a tricky little field fresh up.
Delany and Green wrap up their night with three reps in a strong Race 7, the Alabar Yearlings Selling Karaka 15 Feb Mobile Pace (8.38pm).
“All of ours have chances but Debbie Lincoln is a filly who is really improving who we think could end up in an Oaks,” says Delany.
