Blanchards have a handy team tonight

The father-and-son Blanchard harness racing stable have half their team racing at Cambridge tonight but their potential best of the night may surprise punters.

Peter and Vaughan Blanchard take seven starters to the meeting spread across six of the races so they are in for a busy night.

“We only have about 15 horses in work at the moment so this is a lot more than we have taken to the races for a while,” says Vaughan.

But while the stable has a strong hand in all three trotting races tonight it is a debutante pacer who Vaughan says could up end being their best winning hope.

“We have a horse in race 5 called Sunshine Shelby (Sunshine Beach) who could be hard to beat,” he told HRNZ.

“He is a half to (stable rep) Miki Noel and we like him even though he is very inexperienced.

“He has been trialling well and didn’t get pulled out behind another of ours, Watch Your Back, in his recent trial.

“I think from the ace draw in that field he will take beating.”

Vaughan also thinks Watch Your Back (R2, No.3) won’t be a maiden for too long.

“He is a horse we bought off Denny McKendry, Maurice’s brother and Maurice has been driving him at the trials for us.

“He won that qualifying trial just last week and usually when they qualify we give them a break but Maurice told us he is ready to go.

“He went 2:34 for 2050m in that win and he is a pretty nice horse too.”

The Blanchards are also happy with the other pacer tonight in Acushla Machree (R8, No.2) in what is by far the strongest race of the night over 1700m where gate speed will be crucial.

The Pukekohe stable start off the trotting races with Cyclone Kadabramelia (R1, No.5) and her form looks looks very consistent but she is still a maiden after 18 starts.

“When she placed as a two-year-old we thought it wouldn’t take her long to win one but she is very big, like a lot of the family, so has been a bit weak

“But she is coming to it now and we think she will win one soon.”

The stable has the two backmarkers in the main trot with Majestic Ruby and Ruby Ridge both off 20m but with only seven opponents ahead of them.

“They are both going really well, even Ruby Ridge is working the house down even though he form isn’t great.

“Being a junior drivers race and with them both being off the backmarks they will need some luck but I think either could win.

“I can’t choose between them, I think it will come down to who has the luck in the running.”

The team rounds out the night with True Story (R9, No.8). Despite being off a 10m handicap over 2200m he still looks a winning chance as the front line isn’t strong and has some tardy beginners.

“I won’t be easy but he is going well so can definitely go a big race.”

For complete race entries, click here.

by Michael Guerin, for Harness Racing New Zealand