By Jonny Turner
If racing was simple Mighty Reactor would turn up and win at Forbury Park tonight.
Going by the sectional times the Brad Mowbray trained pacer has produced in the past, he looks to have an edge over his rivals in race 4.
Though racing is never simple and neither is the Canterbury four-year-old, who has shown a tendency to race intractably in many of his starts.
So when he lines up from barrier 3 it will be vitally important Mighty Reactor keeps his mind on the job for driver Matthew Williamson.
“In reality he should be able to settle wherever he settles, do a little bit of work and keep giving in the finish,” Mowbray said.
“Especially going on his last couple of runs.”
Mighty Reactor comes into race 4 on the back of an unlucky third where he hit the line strongly after being held up in the straight at Addington.
Prior to that effort the pacer was parked for much of his previous outing before he fought on well to run fourth.
Going further back in Mighty Reactor’s form, he ran strong sectionals in much stronger fields than he meets tonight, which also boosts Mowbray’s confidence levels.
“Further back his form looks ordinary but if you go through the sectionals he has run some good races.”
“In some of his eighths and ninths he has run the fastest last halves (800m) and fastest last miles (1609m) but he has had bad draws.”
Mowbray also starts Gyspy in race 7, tonight’s junior drivers event.
The four-year-old brings excellent form to the 2200m event having won at Ashburton recently before going on to produce a gritty third at Addington.
“She went super at Ashburton, she probably surprised me that she could do what she did – to work during the run and at the finish.”
“I reckon at Addington that was the run of her life, for our stable anyway.”
“She did a fair bit of work to get in and to go forward and she only got caught halfway down the straight.”
“I thought it was very impressive.”
Gypsy showed enough gate speed to lead three starts ago at Methven.
Mowbray would not mind if driver Kerryn Tomlinson used similar tactics from her sweet number 3 draw.
“She is a good pacer, I would like to think she is one that could go forward and see if they are good enough to catch her.”
Gypsy opened the $3.20 fixed odds favourite for race 7 when markets opened last night.
Mighty Reactor was rated the $2.70 favourite for race 4.
