Lady be ready for Pick 6 leg tonight

by Garrick Knight   

While the meeting is dwarfed by the Inter Dominion carnival operating up the road in Auckland this week, tonight’s Cambridge meeting still presents a great opportunity for punters.

A guaranteed $75,000 Pick 6 is in operation after nearly $34,000 was carried forward from last week’s modest Forbury Park card.

Most will argue tonight’s fields aren’t much better, but there are still six winners in there somewhere, and the chance for a brave punter to make some early Christmas cash.

It is very slim pickings on the ‘anchor’ tree with perhaps the three-year-olds Double Or Nothing (Leg 3) and Ideal Agent (Leg 5) the most appealing.

Local horseman Kyle Marshall has a key chance on the card in trotting mare Lady Be Good (Leg 4), so we had a yarn to him for some direction on her and a couple of his other runners in the pick 6 legs.

Lady Be Good is a mare with a future, as evidenced by her excellent win at Alexandra Park two starts ago. She went back there just over a fortnight ago, but struck misfortune and the run is best forgotten.

“She got a flat tyre at the start of the race, which didn’t do her any favours,” said Marshall.

“It was a junior drivers’ race and Dylan (Ferguson) looked after her thankfully; he didn’t ask her for anything.”

Marshall is back in the cart tonight, despite a free win being in the offing with a junior driver in the cart.

“I’m still working things out with her and just want to make sure she’s right.

“I’ve had problems with her tying up, but after reading the story about Paramount King last week, and how he’s overcome the same issues, I talked to Josh Dickie and Sammy Kilgour about what to feed her.

“She’s been spot on the last few days so hopefully it’s done the trick.

“She might be just a wee bit short this week but I still think if she trots the whole way, she’ll be too good for them.”

In the same race Marshall has Lukyanova, junior driver Luke Whittaker taking the reins.

“She’s working super at the moment. 

“I’m not doing a lot with her; Luke is riding her under saddle and that seems to be really helping her.

“It’s a penalty free win for her this week so hopefully she can get the job done.”

Earlier in the night, Marshall has the debutant Fleeting Major in Leg 1, but he’s drawn awkwardly on the outside of the second row.

He impressed when qualifying on the track back in August and has had one quiet workout at Pukekohe before this, his first career outing.

“I quite like the horse – he’s got a bit of scope – but he’s just green.

“It’s going to take a couple of starts for him to learn what it’s about and I think he’ll really improve with each run.

“Twelve is probably a good draw for him first up as he’s going to get back in the field and look to go up the fence.”

Probably worth risking him tonight on those words, but you will need Manhattan Sunshine, Courtney Jane and Cassius on your ticket.

Leg 2 looks an open go with Major Blink, Lady Santana, Quick As Fire and Arty Pharty the best of numerous chances.

Leg 3 you either go skinny with Double Or Nothing or wide with Charlotte Royal, American Me, Armed Reactor and Flying Steps.

Lady Be Good is the top option in Leg 4, but you’ll need Presidential Jewel, As Free As Air and Lukyanova too.

Ideal Agent has let punters down recently but is clearly the best horse in Leg 5, Runcle and Bella Roza the next best with Mighty Monica an absolute blowout.

Throw a dart for the final leg, but make sure you include the Wallis/Hackett pair of Stow and Aldebaran Bonny. 

Reprinted with permission of HRNZ