Mr Kaplan returns to the track tonight

Nathan Purdon is adamant that Mr Kaplan (Betterthancheddar) is ready for her return to harness racing at Addington tonight (8.08pm).

He just thinks she would be even more ready if it was 1980m instead of the 2600m she faces in the race of the night.

Mr Kaplan returns in a small but select field, with her biggest dangers looking to be Fernetti, last week’s naughty boy Black Mach and last-start winner Molly Belwin.

The former Herlihy-trained Mr Kaplan has always looked a talented mare in the making and Nathan, who still trains in partnership with father Mark, thinks she can be a factor in the best mares races later in the year.

“She has some class and she has come up well,” he tells HRNZ.

“She has trialled well and I think she can win but with it being 2600m instead of 1980m the tactics could be a little trickier.

“Over 1980m with her gate speed I’d be keen to see her go forward and take bad luck out of the equation but being 2600m that might not be the best thing for her.” Not that Purdon has to worry about that much, with multiple premiership winner Blair Orange doing the driving.

Purdon will have a surprise driving change on one of three two-year-olds he lines up earlier tonight in Race 3 with father Mark in town and set to drive The Bettor Deal (No.1).

As everybody knows Mark is now domiciled in Matamata with a very small star-studded team of harness horses alongside his gallopers.

But he has been returning home “every couple of weeks” to drive some horses in work and fancied having a race drive behind one of the two-year-olds.

“There isn’t much between them as they are all nice horses but we think The Bettor Deal could develop into a smart horse.

“So he could be the one, it will be interesting to see what Dad thinks.”

The Bettor Deal made really good ground when fourth fresh up but was lazy at the start from barrier 1, the same draw he faces tonight and will need to get out a lot better (excuse the pun) to secure the right type of run in what looks a very even field.

FRIDAY NIGHT BETS

1: Jasinova (Alex Park, R5, No.1) Run down late in far better field last Friday. If she races up to that form should win.

2: Always B Elite (Alex Park, R3, No.6): Raced elite three-year-olds last campaign and second in very quick last 800m workouts a fortnight ago. Has class edge.

3: The Bettor Deal (Addington, R3, No.1): Ran on really strongly on debut and big driving change tonight. If he can stay handier the one to beat.

For complete race entries, click here.

by Michael Guerin, for Harness Racing New Zealand