Last major meeting of the year for Addington

The barrier draw luck was shared around for Addington’s last major harness racing meeting of the year this Friday night.

While Nathan and Mark Purdon may have got it in the draw for the $200,000 Christian Cullen for the four-year-olds, they were on the receiving end in the other big boy’s pace for the night.

New Zealand Cup runner-up Don’t Stop Dreaming (Bettor’s Delight) gained what could be a crucial tactical advantage over arch-rival Merlin (Art Major) by drawing the ace in the first running of the Christian Cullen.

While Merlin may have more natural gate speed from barrier 6, if he uses it he faces an early burn and more than than likely Don’t Stop Dreaming sitting on his back in the 2600m mobile, which has come on to the calendar as a Group 1.

But in the $300,000 Garrards NZ Pacing Derby it is Merlin’s trainers Barry Purdon and Scott Phelan who appear to have got the better of the draws with Better Knuckle Up to start from barrier 3 (if the emergencies come out) while Chase A Dream for the other Purdons faces barrier 7.

Unlike the Christian Cullen the Derby appears to have more chances because while last-start Velocity winner Better Knuckle Up is now assured of favouritism this is a crop that has never really worked itself out and this race could even decide three-year-old of the year.

If Better Knuckle Up wins it he could be the unlikely late title claimer, Chase A Dream would have obvious claims if he won but if neither does the injured Cold Chisel could even win the title for his early season exploits.

What is far less open is the $200,000 Garrards NZ Trotting Derby in which Keayang Zahara has drawn perfectly at barrier 4 and the best thing the TAB bookies could do to drive turnover might be to open a market on how much she wins by.  Best guess, more than 3 lengths.

Add in the Braxton Farriers Group 3 Worthy Queen Trot, in which Oscar Bonavena and Muscle Mountain back up from Methven but face 20m handicaps over 2000m and Addington rounds out two huge months of racing on a high.

For complete race entries, click here

by Michael Guerin, for Harness Racing New Zealand