Ideal Chevron and Anderson eyeing up $30,000 final

Ideal Chevron’s harness racing trainer Phil Anderson set himself one goal at Addington last night – and now he has an even bigger one in his sights.

The American Ideal five-year-old took out Heat 7 of the new Canterbury Plains Challenge Series, effectively sealing a place in the $30,000 final at Addington on May 16.

Anderson first targeted the series when he heard about it about two months ago.

“We wanted to get into that final and now we’ve done that – half the mission is done, the other half still to go,” he told Harness Unhinged’s Nigel Armstrong post race.

Ideal Chevron was three back the fence early on for regular driver Kimberly Butt before sitting parked with a lap to go. Into the one-one behind Santanna Mach Butt wore down the leader to win by a neck.

The win followed an encouraging sixth at Rangiora last Sunday.

“When the leader stopped I got the trail – it worked out perfectly and he was good enough to capitalise,” says Butt.

“We weren’t sure about such a quick back up but it worked out well.”

It was Ideal Chevron’s second win in 26 starts, Anderson describing the horse as a “project”.

“He’s always had a big motor but didn’t have the gait to go with it – now he’s furnishing into a nice wee horse.”

Ideal Chevron joins previous heat winners Courage Reactor, Ned Kelly, Krystal Delight, Foveaux Gambler, Amelia Rose and Itz Magical Meg.

All heat winners automatically qualify for the final, as long as they have had a minimum of two totalisator race starts during the qualification period, April 11 – May 12. The next heat is at Rangiora this Sunday.

The final will be worth $30,000 and limited to 14 starters.

The series, contested over 10 heats, is designed for 5YO and older pacers rated R35 to R39. Each heat is worth $12,500 and run as a Preferential Barrier Draw based on earnings in the last five starts.

Points are won as follows :
Second Place – 7 points
Third – 5 points
Fourth – 3 points
Fifth – 2 points
All other starters 1 point.

In the event there is a tie for any position, a countback will be conducted.

The remaining heats are :

May 5 Rangiora
May 8 Addington
May 12 Ashburton

Final :
May 17 Addington

Consolation Final :
May 19 Rangiora

As Anderson so eloquently put it – “to race for 30 grand is bloody good.”

by Dave Di Somma, for Harness News Desk