By Brigette Solomon
After a winning driving treble at Tuesday’s Manawatu meeting, in-form junior driver Crystal Hackett is hoping her luck can continue today when she partners Rough And Ready in the Cartown Manawatu Cup Handicap Pace (6.50pm).
“It was nice to get rewarded with a treble after the trip down,” said Hackett, “Rough And Ready was really tough winning.”
“I thought getting out and going was the only way to really get him into the race and he performs well when driven a bit tough as he doesn’t quite have the turn of foot to get past them in a sprint home.”
“He loves the track at Palmy too and has a great record here.”
Rough And Ready’s win in the Cartown Manawatu Cup Prelude was his 19th career victory. He started off the back marker of 20 metres and then sat parked for the majority of the race. With the race run at a solid tempo, Rough And Ready dug deep in the straight to win by a head in a blanket finish with Stealers Wheel and Fredastaire filling the placings.
“He starts off 30 metres tonight so I’ll be looking to step as quickly as I can but it will really depend on what they do in front as to what I’ll do,” says Hackett, “It’s going to be tough and there’s a chance he may end up three wide over the final 800 metres as I don’t think they’ll be letting me get round that easily this time around.”
“It would be nice to see him get his 20th win in the Manawatu Cup given he’s had such great success here.”
Rough And Ready is a $6 second favourite, with the top pick being Boudica ($2.25).
Hackett also continues her association with the Stephen Doody stable with four drives for the local trainer today including Million Dollar Chic (R8), who Hackett drove to win on Tuesday. Doody trained the trifecta in the race, with Narobi second and Jahi third.
“Stephen’s been a great supporter of mine, he always puts me on a few of his team down here so it’s always good to drive a winner for him,” says Hackett, “It will be a bit tougher for Million Dollar Chic today with an awkward draw and up in grade but she did win nicely on day one.”
“Of my other drives for Stephen I think Narobi is probably one of my better chances today, although she has a bit of a niggly draw she tends to back up and race better on the second day.”
Narobi ran home well on Tuesday finishing just a length behind the winner and meets a similar field today in the Kevin & Shirley Farrier Mobile Pace over 2500 metres (6.00pm).
Hackett’s other drives for the day are:
Race 1 – Sweet Olivia
Race 2 – Jetasi
Race 6 – Lewey Maguire
Race 7 – Final Change
Racing starts at 5.14pm.
