By Jonny Turner
Expect to see Mid Canterbury trainers Brent and Tim White line up a strong team at Winton on Saturday, rain, hail or shine.
The White stable took three runners south on Friday, making it across floodwaters while Southland was in a state of emergency.
While heavy downpours and road closures put Saturday’s meeting in some doubt, a track inspection and the reopening of roads has meant the meeting will be largely unaffected by the recent wild weather.
The White stable’s four runners include the big striding trotter, Randal Huston P.
The squaregaiter has made mistakes in two recent starts, but it is hoped a change of tactics will help the horse turn his form around.
“It looks a very winnable race for him,” Tim White said.
“We have been driving him cold, but he might be better up on the pace.”
“He was racing good in front last time in, he gets his big action going and he might be a bit happier.”
“We will leave it up to Sarah and she will see how the race pans out, but he could be a bit handier this week.”
Though he hasn’t been showing it in his races lately, the White camp have been pleased with Randal Huston P’s work.
“He has been a bit unlucky, his work on the grass had been really good before his last start,” White said.
“Then he didn’t get much luck at the races.”
“Hopefully it will be a bit different on Saturday, his work has certainly been very good this week.”
Stable newcomer Clymenus looks a solid hope for the White team in race 7 at Winton.
The pacer just needs to find a run after drawing barrier 1 on the second row.
“He has come down from the North Island, he has a similar ownership group to American Me,” White said.
“He is in the right rating band to be pretty competitive, it might just depend on how many places back on the rail he is.”
“His trial on Saturday was better than we were expecting.”
The White trained Kohli Trouble is taking on trotters rated above him in race 6.
But being off the front line should help the six-year-old run his best race.
“He was a late inclusion for this trip,” White said.
“If he is in front or close to the pace he generally goes good races so off the front line, hopefully he can run well.”
Sarah O’Reilly drives all of the White runners at Winton on Saturday.
