New week and new hope for northern trainers

Gareth Hughes isn’t letting a horror Cup week deter him from going into Friday’s huge Addington harness racing meeting full of hope.

Whether that translates into a win for either Captain Sampson (Captaintreacherous, R6, No.4) or Hot And Dangerous (Captaintreacherous, R9, No.1) is another matter.

The smart juveniles are both trained by Hughes and his father Bunty both had an off week at Cup time, Captain Sampson over-racing in the Sires’ Stakes Final behind Marketplace while Hot And Dangerous lost her action and never looked comfortable in her feature three days later.

They return on Friday for the Betavet Ace of Spades (2YO Colts and Geldings) and the Renwick Farms Ace of Diamonds (2YO Fillies) and Hughes says both should be better.

“We just had one of those weeks and we have to put it behind us,” says the South Auckland horseman.

“Captain Sampson pulled too hard on Cup Day but he has been good in his work since and we expect him to go better.

“But the problem will be Reg’s horse,” Hughes says in reference to mate Regan Todd and his outstanding young pacer Marketplace.

Marketplace came from behind and around Captain Sampson to beat him last start but is drawn inside him this Friday.

“I am not saying we will beat him because he was too good last start but we also aren’t conceding to him.

“I think we can beat him one night but maybe drawn outside him it won’t be this week.

“But either way this trip has made our horse and he has come down here a boy and will go home an adult.”

Marketplace will start red hot as he should and will be run through a stack of multis as he has looked something special and it will take something freakish to deny him two-year-old of the year hours.

Hot And Dangerous got things all wrong on her Addington debut but Hughes expects way better on Friday.

“It was just one of those things last time but I have been tinkering with her gear and I am confident she will pace a lot better this week.

“I think Tim Williams (driving Stella Rouge) will go forward and if he leads I can see him staying there and if she sits in the trail I think she can get some of it.”

Stella Rouge opened $4 but it will surprise if she goes around that long on race night with the two other favourites Captains Mistress ($2.60) and Arafura ($4.50) drawn the second line.

Early pressure or lack thereof could decide the race because if they go hard the swoopers will get their chance in a race that could go a long way to deciding who wins the Juvenile Pacing Filly of the Year title.

For complete race entries, click here 

by Michael Guerin, for Harness Racing New Zealand