By Josh Smith – Harness News Desk
South Auckland horseman Brent Mangos is hoping he will go home from Alexandra Park on Wednesday night with a couple of wins to his name courtesy of a pair of debutants.
Mangos’ first debutant, three-year-old filly Elegant Peak, joined his barn earlier this year and she has done nothing but impress him in that time.
She has had three workouts this preparation for two wins and a placing and Mangos said he wouldn’t be surprised if she broke her maiden at the first time of asking when she contests the Garrards Horse & Hound Pukekohe Trot (2200m).
“She is a very nice filly and I think she will go through the grades eventually, but whether she is winning on Wednesday night or not we will just wait and see, but she certainly has the ability to,” Mangos said.
“A first-up maiden trotter you would have to take a little bit on chance, but she is a nice filly and will go a wee way I think.”
Mangos also has a lot of time for fellow first time starter Chris Kyle.
The three-year-old son of He’s Watching pleased Mangos with his two recent workouts, however, he said the gelding will definitely improve with the run in the Dunstan Speedfeed Mobile Pace (2200m).
“I think he is a pretty nice horse and he will certainly win three or four races in time,” Mangos said. “I personally think he is a run short, but he is a very good maiden.
“If they go really hard he might just be found wanting the last little bit, just fitness-wise, but he is a nice horse and will be very competitive.”
Mangos is confident both runners will acquit themselves well on debut and will be visiting the winner’s circle at short notice.
“I couldn’t split the two maidens,” he said. “If they both did everything right and got the right run I can see them both winning.
“If they weren’t winning this week they would be winning in the next couple of starts.”
Mangos is also looking forward to lining up last start winner Double Up in the Always B Miki At Alabar Mobile Pace (2200m).
“He went well last start, he hadn’t had a trial prior to that and I wasn’t expecting him to go as good as he did, but he went well and I expect him to go a similar sort of race on Wednesday,” Mangos said.
“He’s drawn good in barrier three and he should get his chance to settle handy enough in the small field. If he is handy throughout I couldn’t see any reason why he couldn’t be right in the finish.”
Mangos’ stable will also be represented by Liaison in the Breckon Farms Trot (2200m) and Reckon Im Smart in the Lonestar AP Open Now Mobile Pace (1700m).
Liaison finished runner-up first-up last month before missing away in his subsequent two starts, and Mangos thinks he will be in the finish if he comes with the right manners on Wednesday night.
“His first start was good and he has missed away the last couple, but I thought the other night over 2700m he didn’t go too bad,” Mangos said.
“He pulled a little bit throughout the run, but back to 2200m on Wednesday, if he does everything right he is a place chance.”
Reckon Im Smart will start from one on the second line in the amateur drivers race and Mangos is confident of a good run from that alley.
“I have only had him a little while, but his work was way better than he raced last start,” he said.
“He did cop a race I thought was too good for him. He has drawn the right alley to get a soft spot and I would like to think he can run in the first three or four in that kind of field.ht with Christianshavtime after what he showed at the Auckland track a fortnight ago.