Roy Roots back in town

Central Coast harness racing trainer Roy Roots has now been able to return to race his horses at Newcastle after his area was previously zoned within the Greater Sydney region in relation to the regionalisation of racing brought about by the current Covid-19 outbreak.

Roots, who is always a force to be reckoned with at the International Paceway, has been racing his horses at Penrith and Tabcorp Park Menangle but tonight the astute horseman has three horses engaged at Newcastle, all of which are winning chances.

His best appears to be New Zealand-bred colt Boyzhavtime, who will contest Raced 8, the HRNSW 3YO Pace, on a well-balanced nine-race program.

The son of Bettors Delight will appreciate a class drop from his past few starts where he twice finished midfield at Menangle in metropolitan class.

Four starts back the youngster scored at a Tuesday meeting when he led throughout with ace reinsman Robbie Morris in the gig.

That was his second win in eight starts and he clearly gets his chance to return to the winner’s circle tonight with Tom Ison aboard, despite drawing wide in gate seven.

Exciting Maitland two-year-old, Chappy Streetnorth is strongly favoured to keep his unbeaten record intact when he takes on the older pacers in the opening event tonight.

The gelding is fresh on the back of a sizzling trial on his home track where he posted a slick 1.56.8 mile rating, which is considered a fast run on the 800-metre Maitland circuit.

Chappy Streetnorth who is owned, trained and driven by Mitch Chapple, will be having final hit-out in preparation for his bid to qualify for the NSW Breeders Challenge, the heat of which is scheduled to be run at Newcastle on October 8.

Fellow Maitland horseman, Peter Hedges only trains a handful of pacers, but he currently has a smart colt in his stable in the shape of the lightly-raced Ideal Mondo.

Hedges spelled the three-year-old after he finished third in the Consolation of the Bathurst Gold Crown and Ideal Mondo resumed at Newcastle on July 2 when he finished second.

A fortnight later he broke his maiden status by winning and has been honest since then, having been placed in two subsequent runs.

No doubt Hedges will be looking to find better races for the youngster, given his untapped potential.

To view tonight’s Newcastle fields click here.

By Michael Dumesny for HRNSW