By Jonny Turner
Driver Jonny Cox heads to Addington on Wednesday to combine with a small but select book of four drives.
Cox starts the early favourite for race 7 from his own stable in the consistent Leconte.
The pacer looks to have the perfect opportunity to clear maidens from barrier 1 over 1980m.
Bookmakers agree and opened him the $2.80 fixed odds favourite.
“It is a good race for him, but he has had good opportunities in the past and he probably hasn’t quite hit the line the way he should have,” Cox said.
“He has been racing pretty well since he came up here, but he is a funny wee horse at times.”
“He definitely gets his chance on Wednesday.”
Cox is hopeful gear changes can help Leconte muster enough gate speed to make full use of barrier 1.
“We will have a go at getting out.”
“The first start he had for me he was on the second row and he was hard on the back of the one in front of him and he wanted to get out.”
“But last time he drew 2 and he wasn’t that keen on getting off the gate.”
“It will depend on what mood he is in, but I have taken the earplugs off him and put blinds on him, so hopefully that sparks him up a wee bit.”
Cox also reunites with the $3.60 second favoruite for race 2 in Cut N Run.
The pacer ran a nice second first up before he was slightly disappointing in his last start behind Franco Mac.
“I probably over-drove him a wee bit last time, to be fair.”
“The week before he felt like he lacked a wee bit of speed but would keep going.”
“I thought I would keep the speed on in the race when it backed off a bit.”
“He probably did a wee bit too much and he whacked away.”
“We might look to drive him a bit quieter this week.”
Cox has been able to keep a close eye on Cut N Run’s main rival, his stablemate Willow Bay ($2.10).
The reinsman has returned to working in Rolleston for trainer Hayden Cullen after previously working for Mark Purdon and Natalie Rasmussen at the same property.
“Willow Bay is not a bad sort of an animal but it is his first start.”
“My fellow has probably got a bit of ringcraft on a couple of them, he should be an eachway chance I would think.”
Cox also drives $13 chance Ruby’s A Delight in race 8.
The John McDermott trained pacer comes into the 1980m event after winning her last start at Motukarara.
“I drove her two starts ago when she ran third and she was probably a wee bit unlucky.”
“She has got a wee bit of gate speed and can put herself in the race.”
“It is not a strong field to step out of maidens into so if she goes as well as she has been she should be a place chance.”
Cox also drives Mighty Reactor ($7.50) in race 4 for trainer Brad Mowbray
The reinsman’s fiancé Kimberly Butt has driven the horse several times but Cox has not.
Butt has filled Cox in on some of Mighty Reactor’s quirks ahead of their first start together.
“I have never driven him before, Kim has driven him a wee bit when she worked for Brad.”
“He has got a few tricks and a few funny wee steps and he has a bit of a habit of hanging at the wrong time.”
“But the motor is there, it is just a matter of holding your breath and hoping he gets around in one piece.”
Punters may have noticed that Kimberly Butt has not been driving recently.
That is because she is pregnant and she and Cox are expecting their first child in July.
