Bits and Bridles

The unbeaten Cocktails And Caviar (Bettor’s Delight) which hasn’t raced since April is still recuperating from a knee injury which halted his promising harness racing season. He still has another six weeks in the paddock.

Trained by Steve and Amanda Telfer the three year old gelding has won both of his starts at Addington. The first by two and a half lengths and the second by three lengths.

West Melton trainer Haydon Cullen is hopeful of getting a runner in The Ascent and The Velocity – each $500,000 slot races, on Show Day at Addington.

Dennis and Mark Dunford who own We Walk By Faith (The Velocity) and Greg Bond owner of Major Cyclone, (The Ascent) have each purchased slots for the two show piece features.

Dunedin based owner Lex Williams could have a runner in this year’s Renwick Farms Dominion Handicap at Addington.

One Over All (Angus Hall) won five races for Gavin Smith before heading to Australia where he’s won a further seventeen. He currently sits in seventeenth place and he needs to advance two places to make the field.

The six year old gelding which is part owned by Williams is now trained by Jess Tubbs and is out of Williams’ millionaire trotting mare One Over Kenny which raced in three Dominions, finishing second in 2006, eighth in 2007 and fifth in 2010.

Rising two year old star Marketplace (Bettor’s Delight) which impressively won a heat of the Sires’ Stakes Series on Friday night at Addington is expected to have his next start at the same venue on Thursday.

“Hopefully that’ll tidy him up for the Harness Million on the 11^th. That’s his first main target and now that he’s won a heat we can get him ready for the final,” trainer Regan Todd said.

The $200,000 G1 Woodlands Sires’ Stakes Series Final is at Addington on IRT New Zealand Cup Day.

“Yeah, I’m excited about him but still pretty grounded as it’s only a heat he’s won. Potentially he’s one of the better one’s we’ve trained so it’s exciting to have one like him in the barn.”

Marketplace is noted for his high speed and has been inclined to get on one rein as he was seen doing when winning on Friday night.

“It probably looks a lot worse on TV than it actually is. He just mucks around a bit and we found out at the end of his last campaign that he got better with every run. He’s still learning and he’s trying to go that quick that he gets a bit lost. He’s a lovely pacer and when he was running sideways like the other night he doesn’t miss a beat.”

Dream Are Free (Captaintreacherous) was back at the Wyndham workouts last weekend.

“He and Captains Mistress (Captaintreacherous) are going back to the workouts on Saturday. Providing he gets a nice run along he’ll possibly go to Wyndham in a week. He won’t be going to the Flying Stakes. I’m better bringing him through quietly because we’ve got three bigger goals. It’s very difficult to get these types of horses fighting fit down here for races in September and October. The Sophomore at Ashburton at Labour Weekend will be his first challenge,” Williamson said.

The owners of the three year old colt purchased a slot in the $500,000 G1 The Velocity on Show Day, and the $300,000 G1 New Zealand Pacing Derby at the beginning of December is his other target.

Meanwhile Williamson says the country’s leading two year old filly Captains Mistress is close to resuming.

“She’s going to have a workout this Saturday and one more. I’m thinking about kicking off her preparation with a start down here, maybe at Northern Southland (10^th October) then there’s a nice gap through until Ashburton (Dunstan Horsefeeds Sires Stakes Heat – 28^th October). She’s just going to have one heat and hopefully that’ll qualify her for the final on Show Day.”

by Bruce Stewart, for Harnesslink