By Jonny Turner
Max Hill has starred on the rugby field this winter and will attempt to do the same at Ascot Park on Thursday.
The junior driver was part of Wyndham’s Division One rugby competition win late last month.
The victory was nice reward for Hill who had to sit out part of the rugby and harness racing seasons with a leg injury recently.
The reinsman is safer than other Southland junior drivers under the high ball, but he isn’t one to talk up his rugby skill.
“I scored a try in the final, it was a cross kick and I was lucky that it came off my knee but I was able to get it down.”
Hill will be out to score a win on the track at Ascot Park on Thursday when he links up with two key drives.
Deny Everything gets into race 6 with Hill’s junior claim and he looks a genuine winning threat.
“He is coming back in grade from the Bluff Cup so you would think he would be a pretty good chance.”
“I drove him at the workouts recently, we had a bit of a mishap on the home turn but he ran on quite well after that.”
Hill will also link up with Robyns Playboy who returns following a winter freshen up.
The pacer hasn’t been seen at the trials, but he’s known to run some of his best races fresh up.
“The team has told me he has been working well, he hasn’t been anywhere but he does go well fresh.”
“If he can bring his best he would have to be a good chance.”
Hill also drives Raging Native who looks an outsider in race 1.
Putere Boy good chance at Invercargill today
By Jonny Turner
The Macca Lodge team hopes their winning momentum can continue at Ascot Park on Thursday.
The family operation only recently signed rookie trotting sire Six Pack to their roster, with the stallion going on to produce one of the feature winners at last weekend’s Hambletonian meeting at The Meadowlands just a matter of days later.
Trainer Brent McIntyre is hoping for a similar performance from Putere Boy at Ascot Park, though the chances of him running a 1.53.3 mile rate look slim.
The pacer comes into race 3 on the back of an excellent debut third at Winton last week.
Following the scratching of the favourite Ill Be Back, punters will be lining up to put their faith in Putere Boy.
McIntyre knows the horse can repay that faith, if he races up to his potential.
“We were pleased with his run at Winton, he was just a bit green on the bend but he ran on quite well.”
“He is still green and inexperienced, but the motor is definitely there.”
“If he ran up to his ability he would run a cracker.”
“But he is still not there with his ringcraft yet, we have worked on his steering so hopefully he will be better that way.”
Craig Ferguson takes the reins behind Putere Boy, who his trainer races with good friend Ginger Timms.
McIntyre, wife Sheree and son Caine are gearing up for another stud season at Macca Lodge, which is only a matter of weeks away.
The family gained the services of Six Pack through Deo Volente Farms, the New Jersey stud farm that stands Lazarus.
The McIntyres are thrilled to have recruited such a high-class trotting stallion.
“Six Pack is at Deo Volente and they recently took over Perfect Sting who we also stand.”
“Caine just happened to ask what they were doing with Six Pack and we were lucky enough to do a deal and get him.”
“He was an incredible racehorse, he won nearly $2 million and he still holds the mile record for a three-year-old in America.”
“Ake Svanstedt trained him and he spoke very highly of him.”
“He is the man up there with trotters and he trained the two-year-old that won on Hambo day.”
Perfect Sting will return to Macca Lodge for his second stud season, this spring.
The stallion’s first crop of New Zealand foals are due to hit the ground soon.
