Faithful hoping to go one better than last year

Chelsea Faithful is hoping to go one better than last year with her two harness racing starters at Addington on Sunday.

The Southland trainer trekked north for the corresponding meeting in 2022 and she was only just denied her first Addington win when Vin Scully went down by the barest of margins.

With no racing in Southland until later next month, it made sense to target Sunday’s meeting with Tartan Raider (Bettor’s Delight), who has only had a handful of starts back from a spell.

“He had only had three or four starts back after getting crook in the summer,” Faithful said.

“I took Vin Scully up there last year, so I thought bugger it.”

“I was hoping there would be a junior race for him but wasn’t, it is a long way to come for your first standing start.”

Tartan Raider steps out in race 3 and Faithful thinks the 2600m of the event should be right up his alley.

“Hopefully he can step away, he is a pretty sensible sort of horse.”

“It is hard to tell because I don’t know a lot about the horses he is racing.”

“But there are obviously a couple in there that go alright.”

“The 2600m should suit him, the further they go, he will just keep going.”

Winnyzback looks the hardest horse for Tartan Raider to beat.

At rating 50, the Andrew Faulks trained has a major rating advantage over most of his rivals.

Faithful also starts Arnies Army (American Ideal) in race 8 on Sunday.

The trainer is hopeful her consistent pacer can make full use of barrier 1.

“Hopefully the 1 draw doesn’t trip him up, he has been getting out pretty good lately.”

“Blair knows what he’s doing and he knows the horse well … hopefully he can lead or get into the trail or something like that.”

Oneloveonelife and Finders Keepers look two of the main dangers to Arnies Army who opened the early favourite for race 8.

If Faithful misses out on a maiden win at Addington on Sunday she will get another shot at the feat next week, with both of her horses to stay on in Canterbury for another race.

For complete race entries, click here.

by Jonny Turner, for Harness Racing New Zealand