By Jonny Turner
The trotters look set to steal the show at Addington on Friday night.
Punters have three Listed Uncut Gems races to decipher and it is the NZB Standardbred Trotters Classic which may cause them the most head-scratching.
The 2600m feature’s handicaps have set up a very intriguing clash between a host of genuine winning chances including Master Lavros (front), Smokin Bandar (10m), Gold Chain (10m), Mataderos (20m), Matua Tana (20m) and Midnight Dash (30m).
Trainer Bob Butt heads into the race knowing Gold Chain is good enough to win, but with huge respect for his opposition.
“It is probably the race of the night, it is a bloody good field and any one of about six of them could win it.”
“My mare has been going great, she has been chasing from big marks so getting a bit of a let up on Friday night is good.”
“She is definitely good enough to win it but she is going to need the right run in a field like that.”
Gold Chain chased hard from a 30m backmark, running second behind another Uncut Gems contender Time Up The Hill in her latest outing.
Prior to that run, the seven-year-old went down narrowly to Midnight Dash in the Sires Stakes Aged Trotters Classique.
On Friday night Gold Chain meets her Greg and Nina Hope trained rival 10m better off.
Butt also starts both Callie’s Delight and Manhattan in Friday night’s Bodyguard Health Uncut Mares Gems Classic.
Draws mean the trainer leans towards Callie’s Delight as the slightly better hope of his pairing.
“I’d probably lean towards Callie’s Delight because she has drawn the front row and she has got gate speed.”
“I was a bit disappointed with her last start but I didn’t do a lot with her between runs.”
“She got away on me a bit and she should be better this week.”
Manhattan goes into the Uncut Gems event on the back of a solid fifth behind race rival Mabelene at Addington last week.
“She is going great, but it will just depend where she ends up from the second line.”
“She is following out some of the lower rated ones so hopefully she doesn’t end up too far back.”
Darling Me is set to start favourite for the Uncut Gems Mares Classic after beating home several of the contenders for the Betavet Uncut Gems Geldings and Entires Classic at Addington last week, including Got You Covered, Henry Hubert, Heisenberg and last year’s winner Dance Time.
Tommy Waterhouse is also among the contenders for the event.
The pacer will be out to seal another victory in the race for Kirstin Barclay who produced a memorable win in the Uncut Gems Geldings and Entires Classic 2019 with U May Cullect.