By Michael Guerin
Trainer Steve Telfer thinks he can still win tonight’s $25,000 Franklin Pacers Country Cup even without his first choice starter.
Telfer was to line up Aardie’s Express in the 2700m standing start but after she only travelled home from Christchurch last week he decided to give her more time to recover.
“So she will go to a mares race next week and the Queen Of Hearts the following week,” he says of tonight’s key scratching.
That still leaves Team Telfer with Fernleigh Cash (20m) and Allamericanlover off the 35m backmark in the competitive Cup and Telfer says he favours the latter.
“Fernleigh Cash was good at Cambridge last start and can win but I think Allamerican Lover is our better chance,” he told HRNZ.
“She has been working really well and she is such a fast beginner I think she will make up plenty of her handicap early so while it won’t be an easy race to win I think she can do it.”
Add in the likes of Miki Shan, Simply Sam, Artisan, Don’tstopmenow and Bach, returning to the north, and the Cup provides punters with a good challenge.
The race starts a busy feature-race weekend for Team Telfer, with their good fillies entered at Addington tomorrow and then Ohoka Connor to start favourite in the Methven 4 Square Green Mile on Sunday.
“We preferred that as his lead-up to the Derby rather than taking on the other three-year-olds at Addington,” said Telfer.
“It is only a mile and he can have a good run and it should set him up nicely for next week.”
Ohoka Connor and the Addington three-year-old starters aren’t the only Derby contenders for Grand Prix warming up this weekend with Lovemeto preparing for the NZ Trotting Derby in the Trotter’s Cup at Alexandra Park tonight.
He was well beaten in a frenetic Victoria Trotting Derby last start but looks way too good for most he meets tonight if he produces his best over 2700m standing start in the small field.
