It’s Friday night and Cambridge trainer Arna Donnelly has some key runners at both Alexandra Park and Addington. And she looks to have some good chances at both meetings.
Inter island assault from Donnelly stable
By Michael Guerin
Tonight is what trainer Arna Donnelly hoped her training career would look like.
Once known as the Cambridge horsewoman who improved other people’s cast-offs, Donnelly is now one of the most respected trainers in the New Zealand harness racing industry.
Tonight she has some of the best horses competing at both Addington and Alexandra Park, a rarity for anything but the elite premiership-winning stables with surnames like Purdon, Telfer or Dunn attached to them.
“It is pretty cool having top horses at both meetings but now we have to try and win a race or two,” she explains.
Possibly the best chance is Jolimont (R9, No.5) in the main pace, the Pat Gubb Mobile Pace, at Alexandra Park.
He has looked an open class horse in the making for the last year and was a strong but luckless sixth against Merlin and the big boys in the Spring Cup two starts ago before he has to sit parked and undid himself by pulling too hard in the same grade last start.
He drops several grades tonight and while he meets another who has been racing at that level in Lady Of The Light, Jolimont has a better draw and the gate speed to use it in the mobile mile.
“Even though he was well beaten last start his sectionals were great and he has come through that well,” confirms Donnelly.
“If he races up to his best he has to be hard to beat.”
It is no good thing that Jolimont will run straight to the lead but if he does reach the pace making role it is hard to see him being run down.
Donnelly also has Le Major (R8, No.4) in the Stew Ashworth Mobile pace and while she doesn’t doubt his motor he doesn’t fill her with the same confidence as Jolimont.
“We know how good he was last season and he won two trials before his fresh up run this time in but he was disappointing there.
“I really don’t know where he is at but he gets his chance to stand up this week and show us.”
Rough And Ready (R6, No.3) finds himself in one of tonight’s two $35,000 Metro Finals (The Lynette Burton) tonight but his trainer fears he has lost his gate speed so is looking forward to getting him back to standing start racing.
The Purdon/Phelan team look to hold the key to that final with Dawson and Always B Elite while the earlier $35,000 Tony Grayling Northern Metro Trot Final is very even but the early $12 price given by the bookies for Taylad To Use (R5, No.12) looked overs after two recent wins in fast times.
At Addington, Donnelly has stable star Kango returning but is expected to need a run in the main pace, the Alan Gibson Handicap Pace, as he hasn’t trialled but she has three good reps in a stacked Race 5, the Greg Prendergast Mobile Pace.
She has Mako, Little Spike and The Surfer up against one of the better three-year-olds from earlier in the season in We Walk By Faith.
Mako was outstanding when fourth in the Group 1 Flying Stakes last start but Donnelly stops short of rating him her best chance.
“I was actually really happy with all three of them last start so it might come down to who gets the right run.”
Atlantic City out to “lead all the way” at Addington
By Michael Guerin
Phil Williamson knows Atlantic City has huge hoof prints to follow in.
But he says she is in the right race to take that next step at Addington tonight.
Atlantic City is the one year younger sister of Empire City, our best two-year-old trotter last season and arguably our best three-year-old this term.
That will be put to a stern test in the Hambletonian at Ashburton on Monday but before then little sister gets her chance in the $45,000 Macca Lodge Sires’ Stakes Classique at Addington tonight.
Atlantic City has only had two starts for an impressive win last time out and a fresh up second to the unbeaten Habibti Pat, who isn’t in tonight’s race.
“She has a way to go to watch her older sister but she is heading in the right direction,” says Williamson.
“She has great manners and a good combination of speed and toughness so she is a smart juvenile filly.
“I think she will go forward and can try and lead all the way.”
The obvious dangers are Ya Rite Darl and Queen Kizen, the latter storming home late last start.
The Williamsons also take Brother Johnson (R2, No.11) to Addington tonight to try and break his maiden, in the Murray Howard Handicap Trot.
“I drive him because he still has a bit to learn,” says Williamson.
“He will get there but he doesn’t have a great gait yet so I can’t tip him to win just yet.”
Looking forward to Monday’s mega meeting at Ashburton and Williamson says Empire City has come through her last-start shock defeat in the Southland Oaks in great style.
She led and looked the winner until she stood on a shoe that had come loose and galloped, losing all chance.
“She didn’t miss a beat after that and I have actually stepped her work up because she is going to need to peak for this and THE ASCENT.
“She is loving it and last time I put her in her paddock she was kicking and bucking and carrying on which is a good sign for her.
“I know there are some good horses in there but they are going to need to be good to beat her.”
