By Mike Love
It is winter rewards time again. It’s a concept that was developed in recent seasons to accommodate low to mid range horses.
Tonight there’ll be five races at Addington and four at Alexandra Park, each worth $25,000.
One trainer that has supported meetings up and down the country is Prebbleton trainer Michael House. Tonight he will be represented by seven horses across four finals at Addington.
House will line up Boyz Invasion ($26.00FF) in race 4, the IRT. Your Horse. Our Passion. Winter Rewards Final for the rating 35 – 50 trotters over 2600m – the distance for each of the finals – with Gerard O’Reilly in the bike.
“He’s had a bit of a freshen up. Starting off a difficult mark with a big field in front of him, he will be running from the moment he steps. He probably can’t get close to it.”
Race 5, the Stevie Golding Thanks Racing Clients Winter Rewards Final for the rating 40 – 45 pacers is the first of House’s double chances.
Franco Hoffman ($4.60FF) for Blair Orange is, according to House, one of his better chances on the night.
“He’s just going through the motions but his 2600m record at Addington is very good. He has a good driver, so if they go around the 3:10 mark he should be finishing it off well if he doesn’t have to do much work mid race.”
House’s other runner Santanna Mach ($21.00FF) for Robbie Holmes however is possibly at the other end of the spectrum.
“He will just play follow the leader and see what happens. He is a good stayer. Though he was a bit disappointing last week. It’s not his first rodeo! It will just come down to the trip for him.”
Eddie Osei ($21.00FF) for Robbie Close and Beaudiene Quick Step ($19.00FF) for Kim Butt line up in Race 7, the Stevie Golding For Your Real Estate Needs for Rating 46 – 66 pacers.
“Eddie Osei is quite an interesting horse. He ran a good third in a good race in April. He’s won twice since then but can do things wrong sometimes. But if he does things right, he can be top four – I think Commander Ben will be hard to beat.”
Sunday’s winner Beaudiene Quick Step for Kim Butt “will go alright” with an economical run.
In race 10, the IRT. Your Horse. Our Passion. Winter Rewards Final for rating 35 – 40 pacers will see Wriggles Rufus ($21.00FF) for Robbie Close and Sweet Spirit ($15.00FF) for Sam Ottley roll the dice one last time for House.
“Wriggles just needs the right type of run. He runs his own race and bravens up when things are dropping out around him. He’s a clever horse. His best runs have been over 2600m.”
Sweet Spirit raced well for second on Sunday and will need to be brave again from her second line draw.
“She’s one that we’ve picked her work up on. I would suspect she will race good over 2600m. Anything can win this race with the right run which is the good thing about racing like with like.”
House goes into tonight coming off the back of a recent double at Addington last Sunday with Superstar Legend and Beaudiene Quick Step.
He also lines up two other good chances tonight in Delightful Dreams in Race 1, the Continental Event Hire Mobile Pace and debutant Delta Kilo in Race 6, the Downbytheseaside Making A Splash Mobile Pace.
Racing commences from 4:47pm at Addington and 6:00pm at Alexandra Park.
