By Jonny Turner, Harness News Desk
Consistency can be rewarded when trainer Brad Mowbray takes a team of four horses to Addington on Sunday.
The Maroon Marauder races in the meeting’s junior driver’s event after going a big race on Kurow Cup day behind smart 3yr-old American Lightning.
Mowbray was thrilled with the way the 8yr-old fought on after sitting parked for a good chunk of his 2600m assignment.
“He went great – he has always got a run like that in him,” the trainer said.
“He is getting back to his place in the world – he is pretty competitive in that grade.”
“He is pretty consistent and he loses the odd [rating] point here and there and that is why he ends up where he is.”
“And he has run a lot of placings in the last 12 months.”
The Maroon Marauder will start from the unruly in race 8 for driver Kerryn Tomlinson.
Though the pacer will effectively give his rivals a start being out of the draw, he is better off than his last start where he started from 15m behind.
“He seems to be making a good fist of the stands at the moment and he is not off a mark, he is only off the unruly,” Mowbray said.
“So, that will help him.”
Though his placing may not reflect it, Mowbray was pleased with the effort of Mighty Reactor on Kurow Cup day.
The horse ran home well after getting back in a leader dominated race won by Demand Respect.
“He is going super races.”
“At Kurow he was good, they ran a 57.1sec last half [800m] and he didn’t get near the pegs, he was very wide around the bend.”
“To be fair it was a pretty good eighth – it was probably as good as any horse in the race.”
Mowbray is expecting Mighty Reactor to find a handier position when he starts from barrier 2 for driver Kimberly Butt in race 4.
Though she disappointed in her Kurow effort, Mowbray is expecting better from Spicy Girl Becqui in race 11 on Sunday.
The 6yr-old gets an excellent opportunity to bounce straight back to form for driver Matthew Williamson in an even field over 1980m.
“She came to us as a pulling horse, but she was too relaxed the other day,” Mowbray said.
“We have been hanging out for a front row draw and she’s got the sprint trip.”
“It is a winnable race for what she can do, Matty will put her in it and see if she is good enough.”
The Mowbray stable also starts The West Wing in race 3 after his improved Kurow Cup day effort in his second start since shifting south from the North Island.
“He was pretty ordinary in his first start for us, but he was much better at Kurow, he found the line and run on.”
“He seems happy and he has got a better draw this week.”
Williamson will also take the reins behind the 4yr-old.