Donnelly not without her chances on Show Day

North Island harness racing trainer, Arna Donnelly, heads to the second day of the Addington Cup and Show Week carnival with a team of pacers who are looking for a change in fortunes after some contrasting performances and luck in the running since arriving south.

For the most part, her team has been racing in excellent form, but barrier draws and traffic issues have played their part in the Cambridge trainer evading the winners circle since arriving South last month.

All but one of her four runners in today’s 13 race programme have drawn handily on the front line, with talented three-year-old pacer, Mako (Downbytheseaside), an upset chance in the inaugural running of $500,000 ‘Ascent”.

“Were staying at Mark Jones place, it’s a great property and the horses love it here. We are very grateful to be able to stay here,” Said Donnelly.

“It’s really exciting (Mako) and good for the three-year-olds and a good incentive to keep your horses in New Zealand and not sell them.

“We are really looking forward to it and have a nice draw (3). He raced super in the Flying Stakes where we just drove him a wee but quiet that start. He had a nice trial at Addington the other morning and seems pretty sharp, fingers crossed he is ready for a nice run,” she said.

Mako is rated a $17 chance with bookmakers and as Donnelly points out, will need some favours in the running, but as he showed with his creditable fourth in the G1 Flying Stakes where he was posted, parked from the 700m and doing good late work at the finish on a 1:54.3 mile rate.

While his last start effort may have looked disappointing to some, Donnelly was happy to forgive his effort which saw stablemate The Surfer running past him, albeit in the shadows of the post. Mako only has the filly Coastal Babe (Downbytheseaside) and Australian visitor, He’s From Heaven (Rock N Roll Heaven) drawn inside him. Whether he can cross the pair to get to he pegs is questionable, evident by the following response from his trainer.

“He probably hasn’t got the gate speed (to cross), he probably just holds his own. We don’t really want to be burning too hard early and have to hope we can land handy to the pace and that they go hard, I am sure he will enjoy that and could go a long way,” she said.

Another of the Donnelly team who is making their first appearance for the week is the big strapping son of American Ideal, Kango.

The seven-year-old gelding is making his second G1 NZ Free For All, with his first coming back in 2021 when sixth behind South Coast Arden which feels like a lifetime ago.

While Kango may lack the high speed of some of his contemporaries, he has a great record over the short course distances at this level, and although recent results leave a lot to be desired, Donnelly’s assessment indicates leaving him out today could be at your own peril.

“I wouldn’t read into his form line much and put a line through Kaikoura, it was just one of those runs we will turn the page on,” said Donnelly.

“He has bounced back really good, we have been really happy with his work. He seems really bright and there is a lot of speed on the front row too. We would probably rather stay out of it and get a suck along somewhere and stay handy to the pace. The harder they go, the better he will like it. Hopefully he can go a cheeky race for us anyway,” she said.

One who looks well and truly over the odds and also overdue a bit of luck is the Donnelly trained, The Surfer (Downbytheseaside). He hasn’t been given any favours from the barrier marbles, once again drawing the second row over the sprint trip, but the handy pacer has not put in a bad run since his arrival south in October and at his best, would be well and truly up to this lot.

“He drew 14 and isn’t drawn much better today. He went good and made up a lot of ground and his sectionals were really good. He is a winner waiting to happen but I don’t know if it will be this week. It is very hard when you draw there over the short trip at Addington. He just needs something to go his way like a good cart into it. he never goes a bad race either and is always there abouts,” she said.

With the inaugural running of the Terry McDonald memorial on the last on the Show Day programme at Addington, the omen bet for the day could be Donnelly’s three-year-old pacer, Little Spike as the only son of Terror To Love in the race.

Terror To Love (Western Terror) need’s little introduction as a three time New Zealand Cup winning hero, and most will know he was the late Terry McDonald’s pride and joy.

Knowing how much Terry loves a punt, one would imagine he would be doing his best to make Little Spike favourite in the get out stakes commemorating the industry icon tomorrow evening.

“He just drew out that bit wide on Tuesday, had to go back and hard to get luck from there. He kept running into brick walls and when he got that gap late he sure fired him real good, so it was pleasing,” said lDonnelly referring to Little Spike’s excellent Cup Day second placing.

“We used him once in the running to see if he could do a bit of work and we learnt the hard way he is definitely better saved for that one run at them. He usually goes an honest race and should give a good account of himself tomorrow evening.

“I haven’t had any dealings with Terry (McDonald) in the past but I knew of him and it would be a sentimental sort of race to win with a son of Terror To Love,” she said.

For complete Addington Show Day fields, click here.

by Brad Reid, for Harnesslink