By Jonny Turner
A rather drastic change of scenery could be just what Pinseeker needs in today’s Mataura Licensing Trust Gore Cup.
The talented Canterbury pacer ($2.80FF) has stayed in the south following his fifth in the Group 1 Invercargill Cup and he now has Gore’s very popular Christmas meeting on Friday in his sights.
After competing at the highest level against some of New Zealand’s best pacers in his last two starts, the move to a workable handicap in a Country Cups race looks perfect for the pacer trained and driven by Jonny Cox.
“We have thrown him in the deep end a few times this season and taken on the good horses,” Cox said.
“He certainly hasn’t disgraced himself, he’s shown he’s up to competing with them and he’s gone some nice races.”
“To be able to go up against horses around his own rating looks a big help for him at Gore.”
Pinseeker arrived in Southland before his Invercargill Cup tilt and according to his trainer, he’s thrived since.
“He seems to have bounced through the run well and I have been really happy with him this week.”
Cox has a realistic chance of taking out a Group Cups double as he combines with Master Class ($7.50FF) in the Jaccka Lodge Gore Trotting Cup on Friday.
The trotter trained by the driver’s fiancé Kimberly Butt comes into the feature event following an unlucky sixth on Invercargill Cup Day.
“It is a harder grade this week but he has the advantage of being off the front and hopefully he can make the most of it,” Cox said.
“I am not sure whether we would want to lead all of the way, but if he got away well enough and got a nice enough run he would be a chance.”
Cox also reunites with another runner from Invercargill Cup Day at Gore in It’s Electrifying.
The two-year-old was close up in third at Ascot Park behind smart types Always Dreaming and La Concha after being shuffled into a tricky spot.
From barrier 1 at Gore and with a little more luck on his side, It’s Electrifying looks like a genuine winning threat.
“He had to make his run from the 400m and he couldn’t quite sustain it, but he did go pretty good.”
“He can get out near enough, so if he can stay handy or follow the right horse he should be a good chance.”
“His speed is probably his best asset.”
Cox takes nine drives on the bumper 12-race Gore programme that starts at 11.43am.
Harness racing journalist Jonny Turner has singled out five horses that punters could be tempted to follow at Gore’s Christmas trots on Friday.
Buffy Northstains – Race 1 (11.43am)
Buffy Northstains looks exceptionally well placed and she can get punters off to a good start on Friday. The mare won in a tougher grade at Oamaru before Christmas and her Gore assignment is actually a step down in class. Most impressively, Buffy Northstains sat parked throughout her last start victory, outclassing her rivals in a brave display. The main difference is that that prior win came on grass, her preferred surface.
But as a four-time winner on grit, the six-year-old is certainly no mug on all-weather tracks and she should take plenty of holding out at Gore.
Styrax – Race 3 (12.33pm)
Punters face something of a conundrum when assessing the chances of Styrax. On one hand, she’s clearly the best horse in race 3 and she’s brilliantly placed having won in much stronger company recently. But on the other, she can make mistakes as seen in her last start at Ascot Park.If she trots, she should take all sorts of stopping. But if she makes an error, she’s shown she’s not the type that can settle down quickly and work back into the race. If there is a factor that might help punters decide whether to put their faith in Styrax, it may be that she is competing on her home track. She knows Gore well and it may keep her settled. If so, look out.
It’s Electrifying – Race 5 (1.39pm)
A big last start effort with little luck on his side showed It’s Electrifying is ready for a big Gore effort on Friday. On Invercargill Cup Day, the two-year-old was shuffled to the rear before he stormed into third behind two smart types in Always Dreaming and La Concha. Luck looks set to be on the youngster’s side this time after he snared the coveted barrier 1 draw. Expect It’s Electrifying to settle on the pace and giving plenty of cheek at the finish. Though he’s a two-year-old taking on much more seasoned rivals, the two-year-old looks to have much more upside than most of his opposition.
Miraculous – Race 7 (2.51pm)
Miraculous produced one of the runs of the day among the beaten runners on Invercargill Cup Day. The three-year-old worked hard on a strong speed before digging in gamely and running the narrowest of seconds to a classy horse in South Seas Rock. Miraculous was coming into that run after a freshener and he’s sure to strip fitter for his Gore assignment. The pacer takes on another serious three-year-old in Built For Glory who won the Southern Supremacy Stakes earlier this year. It looks like a real race in two, but crucially Miraculous has the upper hand by drawing inside his key rival.
Bobbies Rock – Race 12 (5.16pm)
Good old Bobbies Rock has featured regularly in this column this year and he rarely lets his backers down. The pacer looks perfectly placed in barrier 4 with his outstanding gate speed. Bobbie drops in grade after taking on a much stronger company on Invercargill Cup Day. The pacer ran fourth in the same event Miraculous ran second in. Sure to fire forward early, Bobbies Rock should be either in front or very handy to the speed and from there he looks a huge winning threat. The key to his chances looks to be his main rivals drawing much tougher barrier draws.
