By Jonny Turner
The search for a deserved win takes Got You Covered to the return of harness racing at Riverton on Sunday.
The pacer will be among the first fields of horses in almost 24 years to compete on the Riverton grass track when he starts as the favourite in the Riverton Cup.
A second in the Group 3 Northern Southland Cup and a fourth in the Group 1 Invercargill Cup look outstanding form references to take to Riverton’s big day.
Combine them with the Got You Covered’s outstanding record on grass tracks and the Brent and Tim White-trained pacer clearly deserves his favourite’s tag for the Cup.
“It does look a winnable race for him – his form has been good in his starts since heading south on this wee trip he has been on,” Tim White said.
“He deserves to probably get a win across the board really.”
The Whites have left Got You Covered in the care of Southland trainer Alister Black ahead of his Riverton Cup tilt.
And they are thrilled with the reports they have been getting.
“All reports from Southland are that he’s well and he’s come through his last run good,” White said.
“Blackie does a super job with our ones down there.”
“It’s business as usual there, we’re lucky to have a place where we are able to have them looked after well and he does a good such a good job with them.”
Though a 20m back mark is sizeable, having just seven rivals to get past looks a major advantage for Got You Covered.
“He probably gets into the handicaps quite well in this,” White said.
“We’ve got Brent Barclay on this week with some Canterbury drivers not going down.”
“So we’ve got a more than capable replacement in the cart and if everything sort of goes to plan, he should be right there.”
Nathan Williamson has the job of helping Jimmy Carter continue his brilliant form in the feature trot on Riverton Cup Day.
The squaregaiter comes into the Aparima Trot after a career-best performance to win the Group 3 Southern Lights Trot at Ascot Park.
Williamson admits he hasn’t always produced the best results when combining with Jimmy Carter.
But the horse’s form suggests he is clearly the horse to beat.
“Jimmy and I probably haven’t had the best of luck along the way, but he does look the one to beat if he does things right,” Williamson said.
Williamson looks to be combining with an outstanding book of drives in the return of harness racing at Riverton for the first time since April of 2023.
Pounamu, Sidorova, and Amass are set to be the reinsman’s strongest winning chances alongside Jimmy Carter.
