Telfer getting used to Canterbury life

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By Joshua Smith, Harness News Desk

Amanda Telfer is dipping her toes into Canterbury life before she makes the plunge later this year and moves south from her South Auckland base.

Telfer, who trains in partnership with her brother Steve, is campaigning a handful of their runners in Canterbury and she is looking forward to heading their permanent South Island barn from November.

“We (Stonewall Stud) have bought Jack Smolenski’s old place,” Telfer said. “It doesn’t actually all happen until the end of November this year. We are looking at setting up a stable down here as well as one up north.”

While she spends a good portion of her year in the South Island, she said the region’s harsh winters will take some getting used to.

“It’s pretty good down here, but I am not too fond of the frosty, cold mornings. We don’t get that in Auckland,” she quipped.

“But it is going to be good to be able to split our horses up. Up there (Auckland) we have four or five in a race, so to split the stable up will be a good thing.”

While their new Canterbury base won’t be available until later this year, Telfer is enjoying utilising the facilities at Dancingonmoonlight Farm in the interim.

Telfer will have three runners at Addington Raceway on Friday, all of which have Gr.1 New Zealand Oaks ambitions.

Their charge will be led by Allamericanlover in the ‘Hilarious Guest’ 3YO Fillies Prelude (1980m).

The promising filly has won two of her three starts to date, and finished runner-up two starts back behind The Honey Queen.

Telfer is happy with the way she has settled into her new surroundings ahead of her first southern hit-out where she will be driven for the first time by northern reinsman David Butcher.

“She has settled in really well down here,” she said.

“She went good against The Honey Queen so hopefully she measures up against La Rosa.”

“David is coming down to drive her, so that’s an advantage. David hasn’t driven her before and he is going to be driving her in the Nevele R Final and Oaks.”

Allamericanlover will be joined on Friday by stablemate Ruby Mach who has drawn two on the front line and will be driven by Craig Thornley.

She finished fifth in her first-up southern run last week behind Bettor Twist and Telfer is hoping for an improved result on Friday.

“She is an honest little filly, she tries hard,” Telfer said. “She has got a better draw on Friday so we will just see what happens.

“She is always running on so if she can get a bit more handy she might be a place chance.”

Although Show Me Heaven is entered in the same race, she is dual accepted for the meeting and Telfer is leaning towards starting her in the First Direct Taxis Mobile Pace (1980m).

“She will probably start in the last race,” Telfer said. “We have got two already in the other one, so it will be good to split them up a little bit.”

The daughter of Somebeachsomewhere disappointed when tailing the field home at Addington last week and Telfer expects an improved performance on Friday.

“She did a fair bit of work early, but I thought she would have boxed on a bit better,” Telfer said.

“She has come through the race well and has been working well. Hopefully she has improved this week.”